LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Allowances

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Leader of the House what the limit on expenditure via the Communications Allowance in 2008-09 is, including transfers from Incidental Expenses Provision and Staffing Allowance to the maximum amount permissible.

Chris Bryant: The communications allowance is set at a maximum of £10,400 in 2008-09. This figure will be frozen for the next three years in accordance with the decision of the House on 3 July 2008.
	The rules allow Members to transfer up to 10 per cent. of their staffing allowance, and up to 100 per cent. of their incidental expenses provision, into the communications allowance and Members may in certain limited circumstances carry forward an unspent balance or ask for an advance from the following year of up to 10 per cent. of the allowance.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Mass Media

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which organisations provided media monitoring services to his Department in each of the last three years; and what the cost of each such contract was.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office recently renegotiated its media monitoring contract; however, the Office incurred the following expenditure on media monitoring:
	
		
			  £ 
			   PressData( 1)  PA Mediapoint( 2)  Newslink( 3) 
			 2005-06 18,000 Nil Nil 
			 2006-07 18.572 Nil Nil 
			 2007-08 12,150 5,651 2,892 
			 (1) Web-based press cuttings (2) Web-based news wire (3) Broadcast transcription

Departmental Procurement

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford and Southend East (James Duddridge) of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 11W, on departmental procurement, what the monetary value of the expenditure undertaken in 2007-08 for goods or supplies was from  (a) Bell Decorating Group,  (b) ASM Locksmiths Ltd,  (c) Celtic Manor Resort Limited,  (d) Dentons Catering Equipment Limited,  (e) John Lewis plc and  (f) the Scottish Storytelling Centre; and what the purpose of the expenditure was in each case.

Ann McKechin: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Supplier  Purpose of expenditure  Expenditure (£) 
			 ASM Locksmiths, London Lock repair 88.12 
			 Bell Decorating, Edinburgh Internal decoration of Melville Crescent premises 6,012.48 
			 Celtic Manor Resort, South Wales Overnight accommodation 435.00 
			 Dentons Catering Equipment, London Purchase of catering trolley 306.68 
			 John Lewis Purchase of kettles and television sets 2,111.90 
			 Scottish Story Telling Centre, Edinburgh Grant towards the production of "Identities: Tales of the United Kingdom". This involved a grant towards a children's competition to celebrate 300 anniversary of the Union 11,900.00

Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre: Children

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland with reference to the announcement by his Department of 23 October 2008 on a pilot of an alternative to detention for children at Dungavel, when he expects the pilot to be operational.

Ann McKechin: I expect the Glasgow Alternatives to Detention pilot to be operational in early 2009. The exact date for commencement of the pilot will depend on the outcomes of ongoing discussions with our partners.
	We are keen to minimise the detention of children where possible, and deal with the return of families in an appropriate and sensitive manner. The procedure will empower the families to make informed decisions on a return home through voluntary departure, and hopefully reduce the need for the enforced removals.

Dungavel Immigration Removal Centre: Children

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how long the trial for the pilot of an alternative to detention for children at Dungavel will last.

Ann McKechin: The Glasgow Alternatives to Detention pilot is expected to last 18 months, although this will be kept under review once the pilot is operational.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Political Parties: Finance

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission pursuant to the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman), of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 547W, on political parties: finance, what the name of the public sector consultant commissioned to provide public sector auditor advice is; and what the cost of this contract is.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has engaged the temporary services of Mr. Peter Norris, a professionally qualified auditor, through a recruitment agency to provide public sector auditor advice two days per week within its party and election finance directorate. This role is paid pro rota at pay level 1 which for London based staff ranges from £59,045-£74,997.
	The Electoral Commission further informs me that it has recently contracted with PricewaterhouseCoopers to provide assistance with developing standard requirements and guidance on the completion of statements of accounts. The value of this contract is approximately £26,000.

TRANSPORT

Bus Services

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards achieving the target of increasing bus passenger journeys by 2010 by 10 per cent., as stated in his Department's Transport 10 Year Plan of 2000; and against what benchmark progress towards achieving this target is being measured.

Paul Clark: The target to increase bus passenger journeys by 10 per cent. by 2010 has now been superseded by one of a set of public service agreements (PSA) published in the cross-Governmental Spending Review 2004.
	The new target outlines our aim, by 2010, to increase the use of public transport (bus and light rail) by more than 12 per cent. in England compared with 2000 levels, with growth in every region in the last three years.
	With bus and light rail patronage already at 19 per cent. above the baseline, we are already on track to meet this target. London is largely responsible for the achievement.
	While we are on course to achieve the national patronage target, the target for growth in patronage in every region remains challenging.

Bypasses

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards achieving the target of creating 100 new bypasses on trunk and local roads by 2010, as stated in his Department's 2000 Transport 10 Year Plan; and which bypass road schemes were  (a) started and  (b) completed in each year since 2000.

Paul Clark: The 10-year plan published in July 2000 set out a broad package of measures for improving transport. Over the 10-year period individual projects of the Highways Agency and local highway authorities would flow from the outcome of multi modal studies and decisions taken through regional transport strategies and local transport plans. Although the 10-year plan gave an indicative figure for bypasses this is not a target that the Government monitor performance against
	On  (a) the following list sets out the bypasses which have been started since 2000. On  (b) I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet (Mrs. Villiers) on 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 415W.
	 2000
	A27 Polegate Bypass
	A43 Silverstone Bypass
	A43 Whitfield Turn-Brackley Hatch Improvement
	A43 M40-B4031 Dualling
	Burntwood Bypass Phases 1, 2 and 3 Staffordshire
	A6023 Denaby Main Diversion Doncaster
	A428 Crick Bypass Northampton (developer funded)
	 2001
	A6 Great Glen Bypass
	A6 Clapham Bypass
	A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass
	A500 Basford, Hough, Shavington Bypass
	A650 Bingley Relief Road
	A41 Aston Clinton Bypass
	A151 Weston Bypass, Lincolnshire
	C541 Addlethorpe Bypass and Bends Improvement, Lincolnshire
	A143 Broome-Ellingham, Norfolk
	A131 Great Leighs, Essex
	A63 Selby Bypass
	 2002
	A5 Nesscliffe Bypass
	A10 Wadesmill to Colliers End Bypass
	A6 Rothwell-Desborough Bypass
	A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass
	A6 Alvaston Improvement
	Barnsley Coalfields Link Road (aka Shafton Bypass)
	A53 Hodnett Bypass Shropshire
	A4146 Stoke Hammond and Linslade bypass (Northern Link), Buckinghamshire
	A527 Biddulp Inner Bypass Staffordshire
	Wyre Piddle Bypass Worcestershire
	 2003
	A21 Lamberhurst Bypass
	St. Clements Way Thurrock (aka West Thurrock Marshes Relief Road)
	A350 Semington-Melksham Diversion Wiltshire
	Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route, Nottinghamshire
	 2004
	A5 Weeford-Fazeley Improvement
	A47 Thorney Bypass
	A421 Great Barford Bypass
	A607 Rearsby Bypass, Leicestershire
	A167 Chilton Bypass, Durham
	A158 Coastal Access Improvement Phase 1—Partney Bypass, Lincolnshire
	A57 Cadishead Way (Brinell Drive to City Boundary), Salford
	A505 Baldock Bypass, Herfordshire
	Barnstaple Western Bypass, Devon
	Cradley Heath Town Relief Road, Sandwell
	Sheffield Northern Inner Relief Road Stage 2 (Northern Section)
	 2005
	A428 West Haddon Bypass, Northampton (developer funded)
	South Lowestoft Relief Road, Suffolk
	A142 Fordham Bypass, Cambridgeshire
	A38 Northfield Regeneration Relief Road, Birmingham
	Rugely Eastern Bypass Stage 2, Staffordshire
	A4146 Stoke Hammond and Linslade Western Bypass, Buckinghamshire
	Gloucester South West Bypass
	 2006
	A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement
	A590 High and Low Newton Bypass
	A419 Blunsdon Bypass
	A38 Dobwalls Bypass
	A197 Pegswood Bypass, Northumberland
	A1198 Papworth Everard Bypass, Cambridgeshire
	A612 Gedling Integrated Transport Scheme, Nottinghamshire
	A429 Barford Bypass, Warwickshire
	A158/C541 Coastal Access Improvement Scheme, Phase 2—Burgh Le Marsh Bypass Lincolnshire
	A165 Reighton Bypass, North Yorkshire
	Ridgmont Bypass and Woburn Link Road, Bedfordshire
	 2007
	A3 Hindhead Improvement
	A69 Haydon Bridge Bypass
	Tunstall Northern Bypass, Stoke
	Rugby Western Relief Road, Warwickshire
	A47 Earl Shilton Bypass, Leicestershire
	Bedford Western Bypass, Bedfordshire
	Owen Street Level Crossing Relief Road, Sandwell
	Selly Oak Relief Road, Birmingham
	A595 Parton-Lillyhall Improvement
	A58 Blackbrook Diversion, St. Helens, Merseyside
	 2008
	A1073 Spalding to Eye Improvement Scheme, Lincolnshire/Peterborough
	B1115 Stowmarket Relief Road, Suffolk
	A34 Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass, Cheshire (advanced works started in September 2008—main works due January 2009)
	A628 Cudworth and West Green Bypass, Barnsley

Departmental Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants not in the senior civil service work in each of his Department's bargaining units on a  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent basis; and how many of these are employed on a (i) fixed-term, (ii) casual and (iii) permanent basis, broken down by Civil Service grade and pay band.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 30 October 2008
	The Central Department and its agencies recorded the following total  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent figures across the various pay bands for (iii) permanent and (i) fixed term appointees:
	
		
			  End of September 2008 figures 
			Permanent  Fixed term 
			 PB1 FTE 1,896.6 35.7 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 2,164 38 
			 PB2 FTE 4,636.1 107.2 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 4,998 120 
			 PB3 FTE 4,683.4 42.4 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 4,915 50 
			 PB4 FTE 2,135.0 49.6 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 2,183 53 
			 PB5 FTE 1,247.6 18.0 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 1,275 19 
			 PB6 FTE 925.9 15.2 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 937 17 
			 PB7 FTE 279.5 11.5 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 298 13 
			 TM1A (Traffic Officers) FTE 307.9 0.0 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 312 0 
			 TM1B (Traffic Officers) FTE 1,026.0 0.0 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 1,031 0 
			 TM2 (Traffic Officers) FTE 229.0 0.0 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 229 0 
			 TM3 (Traffic Officers) FTE 42.8 0.0 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 43 0 
			 Total FTE 17,410.0 279.7 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 18,385 310 
			  Note: All figures show end of September 2008. 
		
	
	Traffic officers are employed solely by the Highways Agency.
	The Government Car and Despatch Agency could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.
	The following (ii) casual employees were recorded within the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Casual employees are not employed anywhere else within the Department.
	
		
			  End of September 2008 figures 
			Casual 
			 PB1 FTE 186.4 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 220 
			 PB2 FTE 206.9 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 223 
			 Total FTE 393.3 
			  Headcount—Staff in Post 443 
		
	
	A breakdown of all data by bargaining unit can has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Staff

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) contractors and  (b) consultants work in each of his Department's bargaining units on a  (a) headcount and  (b) full-time equivalent basis.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 30 October 2008
	The central Department and its agencies recorded the following headcount figures for  (a) contractors and  (b) consultants:
	
		
			  End of September figures 
			   Contractors and consultants 
			 DfT Central 262 
			 Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency 58 
			 Highways Agency 641 
			 Maritime and Coastguard Agency 12 
			 Vehicle Certification Agency 43 
			 Vehicle and Operator Services Agency 25 
			 Total 1,041 
		
	
	Unfortunately,  (a) contractors and  (b) consultants had to be combined. This information is not available separately.
	Contract and consultancy roles are generally recorded as one full-time equivalent position. Therefore the  (b) full-time equivalent figure is the same as the headcount figure shown above.
	The Driving Standards Agency and the Government Car and Despatch Agency could provide the information requested only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Temporary Employment

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any  (a) contractor,  (b) consultant and  (c) member of staff from an employment agency, working in (i) his Department and (ii) DFT Human Resources was hired by single tender action.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Both the Department (i) and DFT Human Resources (ii) currently have contractors and consultants hired by single tender action.
	Information about single tender actions for employment agency staff could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, agency staff are normally sourced through call-off contracts.

Driving: Licensing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what mechanisms are in place to alert the  (a) police and  (b) other relevant authorities to novice drivers who lose their licence having accumulated six penalty points and do not pass another driving test, but continue to have vehicles registered in their names.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Where a driver has driving entitlement revoked under the provisions of the New Drivers Act they must surrender their full licence and the revocation is recorded on the drivers' database. The police have full access to the data, at all hours and at the roadside.
	The registered keeper of a vehicle is responsible for taxing the vehicle and for ensuring the registration details are kept up to date, but there is no requirement that they hold a driving licence. However, the police have full access to a vehicles' data, including the details of the registered keeper, at all hours and at the roadside.

London Airports: Smoking

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many police officers have  (a) given a warning to and  (b) arrested a passenger after a smoke alarm has been set off by a passenger smoking in a toilet at (i) Heathrow, (ii) Gatwick and (iii) Stansted airports in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 4 November 2008
	We have been advised by the Home Office that the information requested on arrests is not collected centrally.
	The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery. Offences of illegal smoking in a public place are not notifiable offences and do not form part of the arrests collection.
	Information on warnings given by police for these offences are not reported to the Home Office.

Motor Vehicles

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vehicles are registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency; and how much revenue was generated from the licence fee in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The total number of active registered vehicles as at 30 June 06.2008 is estimated to be 36.6 million.
	Total vehicle excise duty collected for the financial year 2007-08 was £4,980 million (net of refunds).

Motor Vehicles: Licensing

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many drivers were prosecuted for  (a) driving without insurance and  (b) driving without a licence in each year since 1997; and what the average fine for each of these offences was in each of those years.

Maria Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	Available information held by my Department for the offences of 'using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks' and 'driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence', from 1997-2006 (latest available) are contained in the following tables. Data for 2007 should be available at the end of November 2008.
	
		
			  Table A: Proceedings and average fines imposed at magistrates courts for the offence of using a motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks( 1) , England and Wales, 1997-2006 
			   Total proceedings  Average fine (£) 
			 1997 397,133 224 
			 1998 390,074 214 
			 1999 387,419 212 
			 2000 391,659 203 
			 2001 388,298 150 
			 2002 410,398 155 
			 2003 447,267 160 
			 2004 441,819 169 
			 2005 392,763 177 
			 2006 353,481 185 
			 (1) Offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 143 (2).  Notes: 1. As from 1 June 2003, 'driving a motor vehicle while uninsured against third party risks' became a fixed penalty offence. 2. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences is less than complete. 3. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Proceedings and average fines imposed at magistrates courts for the offence of driving without a licence( 1) , England and Wales  1997-2006 
			   Total proceedings  Average fine (£) 
			 1997 217,490 65 
			 1998 225,324 59 
			 1999 236,188 58 
			 2000 254,077 61 
			 2001 259,742 61 
			 2002 277,107 64 
			 2003 305,339 66 
			 2004 311,006 68 
			 2005 272,954 69 
			 2006 230,647 71 
			 (1.) Offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 s. 87 (1) and (2) as amended.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular those relating to summary motoring offences is less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Railways

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards increasing rail use by 50 per cent. by 2010 as referred to in his Department's Transport Ten Year Plan of 2000; what the baseline year is against which this target is being measured; and how many passenger kilometres were travelled in each year since 2000.

Paul Clark: As shown in the following table, rail passenger kilometres have grown by 28 per cent. since 2000-01, the base year for forecasting used in the 10-year plan.
	
		
			  Great Britain 2000-01 to 2007-08 
			   Passenger kilometres (billions) 
			 2000-01 38.2 
			 2001-02 39.1 
			 2002-03 39.7 
			 2003-04 40.9 
			 2004-05 41.8 
			 2005-06 43.2 
			 2006-07 46.2 
			 2007-08 49.0 
			   
			 Growth between 2000-01 and 2007-08 (percentage) 28 
			  Source: ORR

Railways: Overcrowding

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria his Department relied upon when the decision was made to redefine to 10 people standing for every 100 seats what constitutes overcrowding on the railways.

Paul Clark: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 No decision was made to redefine the Department for Transport's planning criteria for train crowding. It remains unchanged from the earlier Strategic Rail Authority national criteria for crowding which, with the exception of CENTRO services before 2007, has been in place nationally since 2002.
	The previous Centra standard was based on traditional compartment-style slam door trains with no designed standing space for passengers. These trains have now been replaced with modern sliding door trains.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made towards achieving the target of widening 5 per cent. of the strategic road network by 2010, as stated in the Transport 10 Year Plan of 2000 issued by his Department's predecessor; against what baseline this target is measured; and what percentage of the strategic road network was widened in each year since 2000.

Paul Clark: The 10-year plan published in July 2000 set out a broad package of measures for improving transport. Over the 10-year period, individual projects in the Highways Agency's programme would flow from the outcome of multi modal studies and decisions taken through regional transport strategies. Although the plan gave an indicative figure for widening the strategic road network, this is not a target that the Government monitors performance against.
	The following table provides detail of the schemes widened from 2000 to 2007 (the last full year for which data is available).
	
		
			  Year opened to traffic  Scheme  Total scheme length ( k ilometres) 
			 2000 A30/A35 Honiton-Exeter (DBFO) 21.0 
			  M66 Denton-Middleton (Contract 1) 6.0 
			  M66 Denton-Middleton (Contract 3) 9.0 
			
			 2001 No widening schemes completed 0 
			
			 2002 No widening schemes completed 0 
			
			 2003 A2/M2 Cobham to Junction 4 widening 10.6 
			  A11 Roudham Heath-Attleborough Improvement 9.9 
			  A1 Willowburn-Denwick Improvement 4.0 
			  A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement 13.0 
			  A1033 Hedon Road Improvement 6.7 
			
			 2004 A120 Stansted to Braintree Improvement 23.0 
			  A2 Bean-Cobham Phase 1 Bean-Pepperhill 4.1 
			
			 2005 A1(M) Wetherby-Walshford 5.0 
			  M5 Junctions 17-18a Northbound Climbing Lane (Hallen Hill) 2.1 
			  M4 Junction 18 Eastbound Diverge 3.0 
			  M25 J12-15 Widening 11.4 
			
			 2006 A1(M) Ferrybridge-Hook Moor 17.0 
			  M60 J5-8 Widening 7.4 
			  M5 Junctions 19-20 Southbound Climbing Lane (Naish Hill) 3.4 
			  M5 Junctions 19-20 Northbound Climbing Lane (Tickenham Hill) 3.4 
			  A249 Iwade-Queenborough Improvement (DBFO) 5.0 
			
			 2007 A11 Attleborough Bypass 5.2 
			  A428 Caxton Common to Hardwick Improvement 7.6 
			  A30 Bodmin Indian Queens Improvement 11.5 
			  A66 Carkin Moor to Scotch Corner Improvement 6.1 
			  A66 Greta Bridge to Stephen Bank Improvement 4.7 
			  M1 J31 to J32 Widening 2.0

Safety Belts

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of car occupants killed in road deaths were in the  (a) front and  (b) rear seats (i) wearing and (ii) not wearing seatbelts in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Jim Fitzpatrick: holding answer 3 November 2008
	In 2007, there were a total of 1,432 car occupant fatalities in reported personal injury road accidents. Of these, 1,256 (88 per cent.) were front seat occupants and 175 (12 per cent.) were rear seat occupants.
	Research reported in the published 'Second Review of the Government's Road Safety Strategy' and 'Road Safety Research Report No. 76: Trends in Fatal Car-occupant Accidents', both published on 26 February 2007, estimates that about a third (34 per cent.) of fatally injured car occupants were not wearing their seatbelts. A further 50 per cent. of cases involved a fatality wearing a seatbelt and in 16 per cent. of cases seat belt use was either unknown/unrecorded or non applicable.
	85 per cent. of fatalities not wearing a seat belt were driving or travelling in the front passenger seat; fatalities were not wearing seat belts in 58 per cent. of accidents involving a rear seat death.
	The Department has just launched its latest seatbelt campaign.

Trade Unions

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants in his Department were seconded to work for  (a) trades unions and  (b) the Trades Union Congress in each year since 2003.

Geoff Hoon: The central Department and its agencies have seconded no employees to  (a) trade unions or to the  (b) Trades Union Congress since 2003.

Transport: Finance

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what projections his Department has made of the level of  (a) private investment in and  (b) public spending on (i) the railways, (ii) roads and (iii) other forms of transport infrastructure between 2009 and 2014.

Paul Clark: The long-term funding guideline (LTFG) for transport, announced as part of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review in October 2007, sets out indicative plans for total spending within the Department for Transport's departmental expenditure limit of some £73 billion over the five years from 2009-10 to 2013-14. Of this total, some £19 billion is expected to be spent on railways (including DfT's grant contributions towards the costs of Crossrail). £19 billion is expected to be spent on roads, along with a significant proportion of a further £4 billion identified as capital funding within 'regional funding allocations' (RFAs). The balance of the RFAs, plus the remaining £31 billion of the LTFG is planned to be spent on other transport services and infrastructure.
	These figures do not include spending by Transport for London funded through its use of farebox revenues or Prudential Borrowing. The figures also exclude other local authority revenue funded through general grant (paid by CLG) and council tax, and any investment funded through Prudential Borrowing.
	The DfT has made no comprehensive projections of levels of private investment in transport infrastructure.

Waterloo Station

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 4 June 2008 to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey),  Official Report, column 946W, on Waterloo station, whether the train operating company operating longer trains will be required to pay proportionately greater track access charges to Network Rail.

Paul Clark: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Train operating companies operating longer trains will be required to pay proportionately greater track access charges to Network Rail. This is due to the track access agreement variable charges being calculated by vehicle mileage.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged over  (a) 55 and  (b) 60 years were recruited by his Department in 2007-08; and what percentage in each case this was of the number of new recruits.

Shaun Woodward: None of those people recruited to the Northern Ireland Office in 2007-08 has been over 55 years of age.
	Until recently, age requirements for appointment to the civil service were that appointees should have reached the age of 16 on or before 1 July prior to the date of appointment, and be less than 65 years of age at the date of appointment. This policy has recently been reviewed and, with effect from 1 September 2008, there is no longer an upper age limit for appointees.

Departmental Pensions

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many civil servants working in his Department have pensions with a cash equivalent transfer value of over £1 million.

Shaun Woodward: It is not appropriate to disclose pension information for civil servants other than board members whose details are shown in the Remuneration Report in annual Resource Accounts. A copy of the Northern Ireland Office Resource Accounts for financial year 2007-08 can be found in the Library or accessed electronically using the following link:
	http://www.nio.gov.uk/resource_accounts_2007-08.08_resource_accounts.pdf

Northern Ireland Certification Officer

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has Ministerial responsibility for the Northern Ireland Certification Officer.

Paul Goggins: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has no ministerial responsibility in respect of the appointment of the Northern Ireland Certification Officer for Trade Unions and Employers' Associations. This is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Department of Employment and Learning.

Parades: Belfast

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions the Northern Ireland Parades Commission has had with the organisers of the Belfast Pride Parade since 2 August 2008.

Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the Parades Commission. I have asked the Parades Commission Secretary to reply to the hon. Member directly, and will arrange for a copy of the letter to be placed in the Library of the House and the  Official Report.

Public Relations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what public relations companies are retained by his Department.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office, excluding its Agencies and NDPBs, does not retain any public relations companies.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

House of Commons Staff (Sustainable Travel)

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what steps the Commission takes to encourage House of Commons staff to adopt sustainable travel to work options.

Nick Harvey: The Commission and the Management Board are committed to increasing environmental sustainability in the services the House Service delivers and in the way they operate. There are a number of initiatives which encourage staff to adopt sustainable travel to work options:
	Transport loans—available to permanent and fixed-term employees with more than two months' service. Loans are available for either a season ticket to cover journeys to and from work by public transport and/or a bicycle for travel to and from work. In the last financial year there were 345 season ticket loans and seven bicycle loans.
	The House encourages cycling to work by providing a range of facilities across the Estate for bicycle storage and shower facilities for cyclists and others. There are currently 175 bicycle parking spaces on the House of Commons estate. Of these spaces, 36 have been added since 2007; 12 in Norman Shaw North inner courtyard and 24 in Canon Row.
	Following discussions with the parliamentary authorities, Westminster city council has provided 46 additional on-street bicycle parking spaces on Millbank and six on Victoria Embankment just north of Portcullis House since 2007.
	There will be a significant amount of work in the coming months to develop an environmental strategy for the House, and there is scope to develop a sustainable travel to work policy as part of that wider strategy.

Cycling

Gwyn Prosser: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission what plans the Commission has to encourage House of Commons staff to purchase bicycles under the Cycle to Work scheme.

Nick Harvey: The possibility of implementing a cycle to work scheme for staff of the House is currently being investigated. There are a number of issues still to be resolved, but it is hoped to reach a decision in the next two months.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British casualties there have been in Afghanistan as a result of  (a) military action and  (b) other causes since May 2006.

John Hutton: Since May 2006 a total of 1,840 British casualties have been admitted to a field hospital in Afghanistan. 485 of these casualties were admitted to a field hospital as a result of military action (defined as wounded in action) and a further 1,355 were admitted with disease or non-battle injuries over the same period.
	Casualty statistics for UK military and civilian personnel in Afghanistan are routinely updated each fortnight on the MOD website. The tables can be found at:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/FactSheets/OperationsFactsheets/OperationsInAfghanistanBritishCasualties.htm

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the projected net cost is of military operations in Afghanistan in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

John Hutton: The highly changeable nature of operations means that we are not able to provide accurate forecast costs for operations in Afghanistan until the winter supplementary estimates published later this month and for 2009-10 in the MOD's main estimates due to be published in April 2009.

Armed Forces: Deployment

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidance is given to members of the armed forces on  (a) completion of a will prior to initial deployment and  (b) the review of the will prior to each subsequent deployment; and what provision is made to ensure (i) the personal privacy of the individual making a will and (ii) the availability of an officer qualified to give advice.

Bob Ainsworth: Service personnel are reminded of the importance of making a will or reviewing it prior to each operational deployment. Service personnel may opt to use an MOD form or make private arrangements through a solicitor. Where an individual chooses to use the MOD form, they seal it, once completed and signed by a witness, in an official envelope that lists the service person's basic details. The envelope is then stored securely at the Document Handling Centre until discharge or the submission of a revised will, when the sealed envelope is returned to the individual, or the death of the service person when the will is sent to the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre for forwarding to the executor. Although the services do not give advice on making a will, service personnel serving overseas can obtain guidance on what factors should be considered from service legal branches.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average length of time spent in decompression was in  (a) Cyprus and  (b) elsewhere by troops returning from (i) Iraq and (ii) Afghanistan in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kevan Jones: The average length of time spent in decompression on Cyprus by troops returning from both Iraq and Afghanistan is 24 hours.
	We believe this duration strikes the right balance between giving our people the opportunity to wind down at the end of an arduous operational tour whilst also meeting their very understandable desire to be reunited with friends and family as quickly as possible after a lengthy period away from home.

Armed Forces: Health Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what proportion of regular troops returning from theatre undertook decompression in  (a) Cyprus and  (b) elsewhere in the most recent period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what proportion of reserve forces returning from theatre undertook decompression in  (a) Cyprus and  (b) elsewhere in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Kevan Jones: Regular and reserve troops from all formed units returning from active service in Iraq and Afghanistan undertake a period of decompression after leaving theatre. This decompression either takes place in Cyprus, if the troops are returning to permanent bases in the UK or Germany; or at the Al-Udeid base in Qatar, if returning to permanent bases in Cyprus.

Armed Forces: Insurance

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department negotiates insurance policy packages for service personnel.

Kevan Jones: Yes. MOD facilitates through commercial providers two commercial insurance schemes; PAX and Service Life insurance (SLI). PAX provides personal accident cover and SLI provide life cover for service personnel. However, these schemes are voluntary and are additional to the benefits which MOD already provides under the Armed Forces Pension and Compensation schemes.
	Both PAX and SLI provide war risks cover, and neither increases its premiums for personnel deployed on operations. PAX premiums are the same for all personnel regardless of risks and the scheme has a membership of roughly one-third of the armed forces. The premiums of SLI vary according to gender, age and smoking history and are competitive because of a unique partnering agreement between MOD and the insurers.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many armed forces personnel will have received payments from the armed forces pension fund in 2008 by the end of the year.

Kevan Jones: The information requested for 2008 is not yet available as the Resource Accounts for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) for financial year 2007-08 have yet to be finalised. They will be available in the Library of the House by 31 January 2009.
	The latest information available is for financial year 2006-07 and is as follows:
	
		
			  Pensions in payment as at 31 March 2007 
			   Number 
			 Members 266,864 
			 Dependants 68,080 
			 Ghurkhas 26,077 
			 Total 383.021

Armed Forces: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average payment per person to members of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme was in 2008.

Kevan Jones: The armed forces pension scheme (AFPS) resource accounts for financial year 2007-08 have yet to be finalised, but will be available in the Library of the House by 31 January 2009. However, the average annual pension paid to members as at 31 March 2007 was £6,936.46(1).
	(1) This figure is based upon pensions paid to former members of the armed forces, their spouses and dependants.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many individuals belong to the  (a) old and  (b) new Armed Forces Pension Scheme.

Kevan Jones: The armed forces pension scheme (AFPS) resource accounts for financial year 2007-08 have yet to be finalised, but will be available in the Library of the House by 31 January 2009. However, as at 31 March 2007, the number of members of the AFPS 1975 and AFPS 2005 are shown as follows:
	
		
			  Pension scheme  Active( 1)  Pensioners( 2)  Deferred( 3) 
			 AFPS 1975 162,060 382,684 — 
			 AFPS 2005 23,350 337 — 
			 Total 190,410 383,021 329,989 
			 (1) Active members are those currently serving in the armed forces, who have not yet been awarded a pension. (2) Pensioners are those who have left the service, their spouses and dependants, who are in receipt of a pension. (3) Deferred are preserved pensions that are payable when an individual reaches the age of 60 (AFPS 1975) or 65 (AFPS 2005). A separate breakdown of personnel who are members of AFPS 1975 and AFPS 2005 cannot currently be provided.

Armed Forces: Postal Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what limits have been placed on the  (a) size,  (b) weight and  (c) number of parcels sent through the Christmas Parcel Appeal for members of the armed forces serving in theatres abroad; on what criteria these limits were established; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: There is no Christmas parcel appeal. Members of the public are being asked not to send unsolicited mail and packages, which could slow down the mail from friends and families of loved ones deployed away from home at Christmas time.
	Under the Christmas freepost or the free mail service, however, small packets and packages (not exceeding the size of a shoe box, or weighing more than 2 kg) may be sent to a named individual. There is no limit to the number of these which may be sent. These conditions were set to optimise weight distribution on RAF aircraft en route to theatre, and on transport used within theatre, where HM forces mail, while given a very high priority, is only carried using spare capacity behind essential supplies of ammunition, medical supplies, food and water.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) applicants to and  (b) recruits into each of HM armed services came from each ethnic origin in 2007; and what targets he has set for recruitment of members of ethnic minority groups in 2008.

Bob Ainsworth: The information is not held in the format requested. Nevertheless, I am able to provide the following details of the overall number of UK based (i.e. not Commonwealth) ethnic minority (EM) recruits:
	
		
			  Financial year 2007-08 
			 Intake goal 
			   UK EM goals (Percentage)  Applicants  Number  Percentage 
			 Naval Service 3.5 223 85 2.1 
			 Army 4.3 (1)97 413 3.6 
			 RAF 3.6 353 52 1.8 
			 (1) Army officer applicants only: Other ranks details not available due to problems with new management information system. 
		
	
	Departmental UK EM recruiting goals form part of the overall armed forces EM representation goal (8 per cent. by 2013). A new round of UK EM recruiting goals began in financial year 2006-07. From 1 April 2006, and for the next four years the goals were set at 0.5 per cent. above the previous year's achievement for each service, or rolling forward the previous year's target—whichever was higher. The UK EM recruiting goals for FY 2008-09 are therefore:
	Naval Service: 3.5 per cent;
	Army: 4.3 per cent;
	RAF: 3.6 per cent.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many recruits to  (a) each of the armed forces and  (b) each regiment were from each socio-economic background in the latest period for which information is available.

Bob Ainsworth: A person's socio-economic background is not relevant to service in the armed forces. As this information is not required, applicants are not questioned as to their socio-economic background, and no details are kept.

Armed Forces: Recruitment

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to  (a) identify and  (b) make special provision for care leavers entering HM Armed Services.

Bob Ainsworth: Where a care leaver under the age of 18 wishes to join the armed forces, the local authority will be required to sign the consent form in lieu of a parent. Where the individual is over the age of 18, they may choose to tell the armed forces but there is no obligation on them to do so.
	The services recognise the local authority's statutory responsibility to take reasonable steps to keep in touch, or to re-establish contact if lost, with their care leavers, up to the age of 21. They will forward correspondence from local authorities to the individuals concerned. Care leavers are offered the support of the single service welfare services who may also liaise with the appropriate local authority on their behalf if necessary, and given access, should they request it, to the responsible local authority's services to which they are entitled.
	In addition, an identified care leaver being discharged early (i.e. with the less than four years of service) will be classified as a potentially vulnerable service leaver and offered additional assistance with housing, employment and other support as required.

Armed Forces: Uniforms

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the tender process for the future cut and sew contract will begin.

Quentin Davies: Work for the cut and sew contract tendering process is already under way and the advertisement is likely to be placed in the European Journal and the Contracts Bulletin by early 2009.

Armed Forces: Voting

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of  (a) Army,  (b) Royal Navy and  (c) Royal Air Force personnel registered to vote in each year since 1997.

Kevan Jones: The information requested is not available prior to 2005. The following information was obtained from questionnaires sent to random samples of service personnel.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   Royal Navy  Army  RAF 
			 2005 73 52 67 
			 2006 84 51 72 
			 2007 81 62 75

Armoured Fighting Vehicles: Procurement

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his Answer of 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1248W, on armoured fighting vehicles: procurement, what plans his Department has to order military vehicles other than those of the models detailed in the Answer.

Quentin Davies: The Department has plans at varying degrees of maturity within its equipment programme to order various military vehicles. The most notable projects are Future Rapid Effects System, Operational Utility Vehicle System and Terrier Armoured Engineer Tractor. Additionally, I refer the hon. Member to the announcement on Protected Mobility vehicles to support current operations made by the Secretary of State for Defence on 29 October 2008.

Army: Self-mutilation

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date the study of self-harm at Catterick barracks described in evidence to the Defence Select Committee in its Duty of Care inquiry 2004-05 was completed; what the conclusions and recommendations of the study were; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Bob Ainsworth: I believe my hon. Friend is referring to a study into self-harm carried out by a clinical psychologist based at Catterick but looking at incidents across the whole Army. A final written report was not completed. However, in September 2007, the clinical psychologist briefed the Army Suicide Prevention Working Group on his findings.

Conventional Forces Europe Treaty

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the  (a) status and  (b) effectiveness of the Conventional Forces Europe Treaty.

John Hutton: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The United Kingdom, along with NATO allies, continues to honour all our obligations under the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe (CFE) although Russia suspended its participation on 12 December 2007. With NATO allies, we therefore continue to promote engagement with Russia with a view to reaching an agreed way forward. Russia's actions in Georgia have called into question its commitment to the principles on which stability and security in Europe are based, principles which underpin the CFE regime. Nevertheless, with NATO allies, we remain firmly committed to the CFE treaty and wish to achieve the earliest possible entry into force of the Agreement on Adaptation.
	The CFE treaty has enabled the unprecedented provision for information exchanges, on-site inspections (over 4 000 on-site inspections have been conducted) and on-site monitoring of the destruction of above limit equipment. It has reduced military capability across the treaty area (60,000 items of treaty limited equipment have been destroyed or removed from its area of application) and it has reduced the potential for surprise attack in the treaty area. The resulting transparency measures underpin European confidence and security building efforts.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are employed on the Defence Information Infrastructure (Future) programme on overseas solutions  (a) in the United Kingdom and  (b) at each overseas location; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) programme does not explicitly differentiate between those staff working on the solutions required to deliver to sites in the UK and overseas.
	Given that the DII footprint extends to some 2,000 sites, providing a detailed breakdown of DII staff numbers by site, and/or location, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) civilians,  (b) serving members of the armed forces and  (c) consultants (i) are and (ii) have been employed in the Defence Information Infrastructure (Future) programme; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: The NAO report published 4 July 2008 noted the number of staff within the Department's Senior Responsible Owner (SRO) and Integrated Project Team (IPT) elements of the programme was 570. This comprised some 490 civilian and 80 serving military (rounded). The number of consultants employed in specific roles numbered around 180 (SRO and IPT combined). Staff employed by the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) delivery partner, the Atlas consortium, vary but are typically 2,800. A further 91 staff, civilians and serving military, were employed in the Department's top level budget areas, again as identified in the NAO report.
	In order for the Ministry of Defence to calculate the total number of civilians, serving members of the armed forces and consultants that have ever worked on the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) programme, the Department would need to take into account staff turnover, military rotation, delivery partner engagement and each contract that has been placed with consultancy firms; this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Information and Communications Technology

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Defence Information Infrastructure (Future) programme in Kathmandu; when he expects the project to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

Quentin Davies: Kathmandu presents particular challenges for the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII) programme given its remoteness from the UK mainland. The DII programme has already delivered an interim infrastructure to support the implementation of the Joint Personnel Administration (JPA) application in Kathmandu and the Department assesses that the DII(F) solution can be completed by the end of 2009.

Departmental Liability

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates in each of the last five years his Department informed the House of the creation of contingent liabilities relating to his Department or its non-departmental public bodies.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence informed the House of contingent liabilities on the following dates:
	 2004
	11 March
	2 December
	 2005
	5 April
	 2006
	22 May
	 2007
	26 November
	 2008
	29 January
	30 June
	7 October
	In addition, the Department informed the chairmen of the Public Accounts and House of Commons Defence Committees of a commercially sensitive contingent liability, which is no longer extant, on 28 November 2007.

Departmental Public Participation

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many citizens' juries his Department has held since 1 July 2007; what the cost was of each; what issues were discussed at each event; and how many  (a) Ministers and  (b) members of the public attended each event.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence has not arranged any citizens' juries since 1 July 2007.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what personal training courses at public expense he has undertaken since his appointment.

John Hutton: Since taking up post on 3 October 2008 I have undertaken mandatory pre-deployment training in preparation for my recent visits to Iraq and Afghanistan.

EU Defence Policy

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his European counterparts on the establishment of a European army; and if he will make a statement.

John Hutton: I have had no discussions with my European counterparts on the establishment of a European army. The UK's policy remains that there will be no standing European army, navy or air force.

Ex-servicemen: Advisory Services

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what pilot studies have been established in England and Wales to offer assistance to former members of the armed forces on discharge.

Kevan Jones: The Ministry of Defence delivers a range of support to its personnel both as they leave service and as veterans. To develop services further, pilot schemes are sometimes run to evaluate which offer the most appropriate support. Two current pilot schemes are:
	Mentoring of Early Service Leavers (ESLs)—those who have served up to four years. It has been in progress at Catterick Garrison since June 2007. It aims to establish whether one-to-one 'light touch' mentoring improves the outcomes for ESLs six months after discharge. Outcomes to be measured include housing, employment and other forms of well-being. This pilot will conclude in 2009 before evaluation and a report published of its findings.
	Community-based mental healthcare for veterans. This has been in progress, led by the Health departments and with the support of the ex-service charities, notably Combat Stress since November 2007. The participating sites in England and Wales, based at national health service (NHS) trusts, include Stafford, Camden and Islington, Bishop Auckland, Plymouth and Cardiff. Each site will run a service for veterans with mental health problems for two years. Core principles include delivery of evidence based interventions and development of a service which is accessible and acceptable to veterans. Following evaluation and publication of the findings decisions will be made on wider roll-out of the service.

Ex-servicemen: Criminal Records

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish or evaluate research on the number of criminal convictions of former members of the armed forces.

Bob Ainsworth: We plan to conduct new research on veterans in prison in 2009 and we would hope to be able to evaluate and publish some initial findings in the same year.

Ex-servicemen: Homelessness

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of homeless veterans in the UK; and what steps he is taking to protect vulnerable servicemen and women who have left the armed forces.

Kevan Jones: Independent research on the problem was commissioned from the University of York by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) and their Third Sector partners in the Ex-Service Action Group on homelessness among veterans. The results of this research were published earlier this year and found that the percentage of veterans among London's homeless population was 6 per cent. in 2007 compared with 22 per cent. in separate research in 1997.
	The MOD works closely with the DCLG and other Government Departments, veterans' organisations and other service providers to ensure a co-ordinated and structured approach to this problem as it affects a small minority of our ex-service personnel. We aim to prevent new service leavers becoming homeless and to provide an effective safety net for those veterans who are homeless. Current measures, including new commitments in the July 2008 Service Personnel Command Paper, include:
	Helping Service personnel with home ownership, including making available interest-free loans through the MOD's Long Service Advance of Pay scheme, and providing access to shared equity mortgage schemes;
	Enhancing housing advice which is available to service personnel and veterans and providing specific assistance including through The Single Persons Accommodation Centre for the Ex-Services (SPACES);
	Mike Jackson House providing 25 units of secure short term supported accommodation built in Aldershot for young single ex-service leavers identified at risk of homelessness opened in March 2008 on land gifted by MOD;
	Allowing service leavers to occupy 'void' MOD property as an interim measure after leaving;
	Extending Key Worker status to enable service leavers to access the scheme 12 months after discharge;
	Operating the MOD's Nomination Scheme which facilitates service leavers' access to housing with over 40 housing associations and local authorities in England, Scotland and Wales;
	Changing legislation to enable service personnel to establish a 'local connection', so improving their access to social housing;
	Issuing statutory guidance advising local authorities not to insist that veterans produce a possession order to demonstrate homelessness;
	Publicising legislation that identifies ex-service personnel in certain circumstances as having a 'priority need' for local authority accommodation;
	Providing MOD-gifted land as part of a joint venture with DCLG and the Housing Corporation to deliver supported housing projects for veterans;
	Supporting initiatives from the voluntary sector, for example through the Ex-Services Action Group on Homelessness in London;
	Working with the corporate, voluntary and government sectors to assist homeless ex-service personnel to return to sustained employment through schemes such as Project Compass.
	We are working within the Department, across Government and with the Third Sector to deliver these policies and new commitments.

Ex-servicemen: Military Decorations

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps the Government is taking to ensure that all those eligible for Veteran's Badges are claiming their entitlement.

Kevan Jones: All those leaving the services now receive their HM Armed Forces Veterans Badge in their service leavers' pack. For those not receiving the badge in this way, the details of eligibility and the application process are advertised on the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency website:
	www.veterans-uk.info
	The badge has also been publicised through Government and ex-service organisation publications and through local and national press articles featuring coverage of badge presentation ceremonies held by Government and external organisations. We are also promoting badge presentation ceremonies as a part of next year's British armed forces and Veterans Day events. The position is kept under review, including considering opportunities to provide further publicity for the scheme.
	Between May 2004 and 31 October 2008 over 674,000 HM Armed Forces Veterans Badges have been issued.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Chad: Internally Displaced Persons

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on incidents involving sexual violence in internally displaced persons' sites and refugee camps in eastern Chad; and when he last raised this matter with the government of Chad.

Gillian Merron: The recent report of the UN Secretary-General on children and armed conflict in Chad (August 2008) highlights the prevalence of rape and other grave sexual violence in Chad. Both armed groups and community members are reported as perpetrators of such violence. Most reported cases concern attacks and rapes of girls carrying out domestic activities outside Internally Displaced Persons sites. However, stigmatisation and taboo mean that the true extent of the problem is not known, although anecdotal evidence suggests that it is widespread. The report of the UN Secretary-General states that the Chadian Government have not been able or willing to prevent rape and ensure child protection against sexual violence.
	We have not raised this issue directly with the Chadian Government. We do, however, support multilateral efforts to address sexual violence in Chad. For example, the UK is a member of the UN Working Group on children and armed conflict. The Working Group is finalising a letter to the Government of Chad, urging them to address impunity for perpetrators of sexual violence.

Commonwealth: Asylum

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on whether Commonwealth states whose subjects frequently request asylum in the UK on grounds of political persecution should be suspended from the Commonwealth.

Gillian Merron: The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) deals with member countries that are judged to have violated the Harare Declaration, which lays down the Commonwealth's fundamental political values. CMAG assesses the nature of any infringement and recommends measures for collective Commonwealth action. CMAG can recommend suspension from the Councils of the Commonwealth as one of those measures, though this has not historically occurred as a result of asylum claims relating to a member of the Commonwealth.

Commonwealth: Asylum

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions UK diplomats have had with the Governments of Commonwealth countries on claims for asylum on political grounds by people from those countries.

Gillian Merron: We have regular discussions with Commonwealth countries about a range of issues, including human rights, which can have an impact on asylum claims. Individual asylum cases are dealt with on a case by case basis, and in confidence. We do not discuss them with other Governments. All asylum seekers are treated the same regardless of which country they come from. The key concern in all cases is the risk to the individual on return to their home country.

Guinea: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the level of human rights abuses in the Republic of Guinea.

Gillian Merron: In September 2008, EU ambassadors in Guinea reported on the human rights situation ahead of an Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement mission to the country. The Article 96 mission will shortly be reporting its findings to the EU. The Minister for Europe will then write to the European Scrutiny Committee to provide an update on Article 96 discussions including human rights.
	The Minister for Europe's last letter to the European Scrutiny Committee contained in the Select Committee on European Scrutiny's 22(nd) report can be found at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmeuleg/16-xx/16xx15.htm
	The UK remains particularly concerned about the slow pace of democratisation and the lack of progress by the Guinean government to implement the terms of its agreement with local unions following the general strike of 2007, including establishment of a commission of inquiry into the events surrounding the strike and the deaths of over 100 Guineans during the strike.

Ivory Coast: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European Union counterparts on the incidence of human rights abuses in Côte d'Ivoire.

Gillian Merron: Our non-resident ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, based in Accra, frequently visits the country and discusses human rights, including those concerned with the electoral process, with his EU counterparts. Our ambassador last visited in July and will visit again this month. Our political officer in Abidjan also meets other EU ambassadors once a fortnight. Our officials have visited France, most recently in July, and have discussed human rights issues in Côte d'Ivoire with their French counterparts.
	The UK supported the renewal of the mandate of the UN Operation in Côte d'Ivoire in July 2008, including its work towards ensuring the protection of and the respect for human rights. Members of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict discussed concerns about the level of sexual violence and violations of children's rights in Côte d'Ivoire in September.

Mauritania: Sanctions

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has had discussions with the US Administration on the possible imposition of sanctions on Mauritania.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I have not had any discussions with the US Administration on the possible imposition of sanctions on Mauritania following the 6 August coup. Government officials are in regular contact with the US Administration regarding Mauritania.
	On 17 October the US Administration announced that they had imposed travel restrictions to the United States on certain members of the Mauritanian military junta and the Government.
	The UK condemned the coup on 6 August and called for the release of the President and the restoration of democratic institutions, and we have been working with EU partners to press for the restoration of democracy in Mauritania. On 20 October the EU met with representatives from the Mauritanian regime to discuss procedures under Article 96 of the Cotonou agreement, which provides for appropriate measures when the 'essential and fundamental elements' of the agreement (such as democracy) have been infringed. Mauritanian proposals did not meet EU requirements, and they were given one month to provide the EU with proposals for the restoration of the constitutional order which satisfy EU requirements. If the Mauritanians fail to do this within a month the EU will close consultations and appropriate measures, including possible targeted sanctions, will be considered. These measures may cover any aspect of the EU-African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) relationship, but there will be an analysis of their impact, and humanitarian and emergency assistance should not be affected.
	The UK hopes that the Mauritanians will produce acceptable proposals within the timeframe given in order to move towards the swift restoration of democracy in Mauritania.
	The UK is also working with other international partners to try to secure a return to democracy in Mauritania. North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies suspended military activities to be carried out with Mauritania in September, and are reviewing activities on a case by case basis.

Nigeria: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what progress has been made on the establishment of a trading and advisory support package to improve the security situation in the Niger Delta, referred to in the Prime Minister's press conference with the President of Nigeria on 18 July 2008; and what  (a) financial and  (b) technical assistance the Government plans to contribute;
	(2)  what progress has been made towards establishing a maritime security training centre in the Gulf of Guinea referred to in the Prime Minister's press conference with the President of Nigeria on 18 July 2008; and what  (a) financial and  (b) technical assistance the Government plans to contribute.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	Following my right hon. Friend's July 2008 press conference with the President of Nigeria, the Ministry of Defence hosted a visit from the Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff. The discussions focused on how to improve maritime security in the Niger Delta and on how the UK might provide training support.
	The UK will provide training assistance in two areas—improving operational planning processes and in-shore small boat operations. The UK is supporting the creation of a Joint Maritime Security Training Centre. The new Nigerian CDS and Navy Chief appointed in August remain fully committed to the project and have endorsed the use of a military site close to Lagos for the Centre.
	We have redirected the main focus of the British Military Advisory and Training Team in Nigeria from broader peacekeeping to support for maritime security and in October a naval officer joined the team to enhance its maritime expertise. The Africa Conflict Prevention Programme has allocated £500,000 for the project this financial year. Architectural plans for the centre have been drawn up and, working in partnership with Nigeria, the focus of this year's activity is on construction of the facility and ensuring that the instructional equipment will be available for training, which should start in earnest in 2009.
	This support is part of wider UK efforts to persuade the Nigerian Government to take forward a peace process for the Niger Delta which embraces development and good governance.

Somalia: Piracy

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union and the EU on measures to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1816; what the UK's position is on the implementation of the resolution; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The UK co-sponsored UN Security Council Resolution 1816, which calls for measure to combat piracy off the coast of Somalia. The UK also supported a further UN Security Council Resolution, 1838, which calls upon states to deploy naval vessels and aircraft to take necessary action to suppress acts of piracy.
	The Government believe that the full implementation of these resolutions is vital to address increasing incidents of piracy and armed robbery in and around Somali waters. We are working through the EU and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) on military options to counter piracy, and on the specific naval contribution the UK could make to such efforts. The EU has established a team to co-ordinate maritime activity in the region and is preparing a naval counter piracy mission off the coast of Somalia, for which the UK will be providing the operation commander and the operation headquarters. We are clear that such efforts must be co-ordinated with other maritime forces in the region, including NATO and Combined Taskforce 150. Options for supporting both UN Security Council Resolutions have been raised with African Union partners during the formal EU-African Union contact meetings.

Somalia: Politics and Government

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the political situation in Somalia.

Gillian Merron: The political situation in Somalia was most recently on the agenda for the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting on 15 September 2008. FCO officials regularly discuss the issues with EU officials at a working level.

Sudan: Detainees

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what reports he has received of the Sudanese Government's decision to detain Ali Kushayb; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the decision to have Ali Kushayb tried by the Sudanese courts instead of the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: We are aware of reports that Ali Kushayb has been arrested in Sudan and will be tried by the Government of Sudan. We continue to call on the government of Sudan to co-operate fully with the International Criminal Court over the two existing arrest warrants, which includes one for Kushayb. We hope Kushayb's arrest is a step towards this. There can be no impunity for crimes committed in Darfur.

Sudan: Peacekeeping Operations

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government supports the proposal to widen the mandate of the UN mission in Sudan to include demarcation of the border between North and South Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), under its mandate to support implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), is empowered to support the North and the South on border demarcation. UNMIS provides technical and logistical support to the Technical AD Hoc Border Committee, as requested by the UN Security Council in Resolution 1812 (30 April 2008).
	The UK fully supports UNMIS in its efforts to ensure complete implementation of the CPA.

Sudan: Voluntary Organisations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the effects of his Department's travel advice for Sudan on organisations which rely on overseas volunteers to work in that country.

Gillian Merron: Our travel advice is given on a purely advisory basis. It is designed to help British travellers make their own decisions, on an informed basis, about travelling abroad. We assume no legal responsibility to those who read the travel advice and who may choose to take it into account when making any decisions relating to a particular country.

Uganda: Armed Conflict

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Ugandan Government on their forcible disarmament programme.

Gillian Merron: The Ugandan Government launched a disarmament programme in the Karamoja region of northern Uganda in 2001. This programme has continued as part of the Karamoja Integrated Disarmament and Development Plan, launched in 2008. In co-operation with partners in Uganda we have visited the Karamoja region and raised concerns both on the ground, with the Ugandan military and civil society organisations and with the government in Kampala. With partners we are currently seeking a meeting with the Ugandan Government to discuss the security and human rights situation in Karamoja.

Uganda: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Uganda about human rights abuses by the Lord's Resistance Army.

Gillian Merron: We have repeatedly condemned the actions of the Lord's Resistance Army and the heinous crimes they have committed.
	The Government are actively engaged in dialogue with the Government of Uganda on a range of issues relating to northern Uganda, including human rights. We continue to strongly support efforts to restore peace and stability to the region and are working closely with the Government of Uganda and international partners in efforts to implement the Final Peace Agreement and the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan to ensure that the people of northern Uganda benefit from a sustained peace. The British Government have provided £60 million of humanitarian assistance to northern Uganda since 2006.

Uganda: Human Rights

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the human rights situation in Uganda.

Gillian Merron: Although some serious problems persist, including extra-judicial detention and limitations on the freedom of the press and assembly in the approach to the 2006 elections, our overall assessment is that there is continuing progress in Uganda's human rights performance. The Uganda Human Rights Commission's 10(th) Annual Report showed a 14 per cent. reduction in registered complaints in 2007 against the previous year. The UN's Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' last report said that there had been a distinct improvement in the human rights and security situation observed in conflict-affected northern and north-eastern Uganda and that they recognised Government efforts towards strengthening the protection and promotion of human rights. The Ibrahim Index of African Governance also records improvement in Uganda's human rights situation. There are active civil society organisations working largely unhindered in the human rights field contributing greatly to investigative and accountability efforts.
	Our high commission in Kampala closely follows the human rights situation and regularly discusses human rights issues with the Ugandan Government, the Uganda Human Rights Commission and other interested parties. We continue to push for more action on topics such as politically motivated harassment, illegal detention, torture, media freedom and the rights of people in northern Uganda, including in the Karamoja region.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on  (a) the appointment by President Mugabe of members of his Zanu-PF party to key cabinet positions and  (b) assessments of his constitutional mandate for doing so.

Gillian Merron: Robert Mugabe's attempt to allocate ministerial portfolios unilaterally runs counter to the spirit and letter of the political agreement signed with the two Movement for Democratic Change parties on 15 September. Zimbabwe deserves a government which reflects the will of the Zimbabwean people as expressed in the 29 March elections, which gave Morgan Tsvangirai and those opposed to Mugabe a clear majority.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the position of Thabo Mbeki as official mediator between Zanu-PF and the Movement for Democratic Change; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Former President Mbeki deserves thanks for the work he has done so far and for his continuing efforts. Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai are primarily responsible for following through on the 15 September agreement. But it is increasingly clear that the current mediation effort is running out of steam. We are encouraging former President Mbeki, South Africa, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the African Union to work collectively towards a resolution that reflects the 29 March election outcome without further delay.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Breast Cancer: Males

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of all breast cancer diagnoses in England in each of the last five years were diagnoses to men.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of all breast cancer diagnoses in England in each of the last five years were diagnoses to men.
	Table 1 gives the percentage of all newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in England that were in men, for each year from 2001 to 2005 (the latest data available).
	
		
			  Table 1. Percentage of all newly diagnosed cases of malignant neoplasm of breast -which were in males, England, 2001-05( 2) 
			   Percentage 
			 2001 0.6 
			 2002 0.7 
			 2003 0.8 
			 2004 0.7 
			 2005 0.6 
			 (1) Newly diagnosed cases of cancer registered with malignant neoplasm of breast, identified using code C50 of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision. (2) Cases which occurred in each calendar year, and had been registered by the time that the file was closed for the latest year reported.  Source: Office for National Statistics

Charities: Bank Services

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what assessment has been made of the effects of the Icelandic banking crisis on the investment returns of UK charities in the forthcoming financial year.

Kevin Brennan: As agreed at a meeting between Ministers and charity representatives on Friday 10 October, the Cabinet Office is working with the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations (acevo), the National Council of Voluntary Organisations (NCVO), the Charity Finance Directors Group (CFDG) and the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) to ascertain the full extent of investment assets affected by the position of the Icelandic Banks.
	On 28 October, the Minister for the Third Sector received information from a number of third sector bodies about the effect of the collapse of the Icelandic banks on UK Charities. This includes estimates based on data collected by acevo, the Association of Charitable Foundations, the CDFG, the NCVO, the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations and Wales Council for Voluntary Action. This information has identified £86.2 million invested by 46 charities in the Icelandic banks. Background information has been collected for 39 of the 46 charities, including the identification of the individual charities which have been most significantly affected.
	We continue to work with third sector partners and HM Treasury to assess the effect on UK charities. As part of this process, we are consolidating our information for a sector-wide summit with NCVO on 24 November.

Civil Servants: Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in the City of York by each Government department and executive agency in each year since 1996-97.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in the City of York by each Government department or executive agency in each year since 1996-97.(230251)
	In order to provide the information requested for York, an ad hoc analysis has been required. This analysis is based on the Mandate collection (1997-2006) which provides approximately 90 per cent coverage of Civil Service departments and agencies and the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (2007 only) which provides 100 per cent coverage. For years prior to 2003 coverage is lower. For comparison purposes, employment numbers for the Yorkshire and the Humber region are therefore presented alongside the statistics for York i) as published for the total Civil Service and ii) as available from the Mandate survey. The breakdown by department and agency (as available from Mandate and the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey) is provided in Annex B.
	
		
			  Annex A: Civil Service Employment for Yorkshire and the Humber and York, 1997  to  2007( 1) 
			  Permanent employees; Full-time equivalent 
			  Year( 2)  Civil Service  Yorkshire and the Humber( 3)  Civil Service (Mandate only)  Yorkshire and the Humber  Civil Service  York 
			 1997 32,270 17,350 (4)1,560 
			 1998 32,010 17,450 (4)1,460 
			 1999 31,860 17,320 (4)1,490 
			 2000 33,060 18,120 (4)1,630 
			 2001 33,890 19,370 (4)1,760 
			 2002 35,050 22,490 (4)2,140 
			 2003 35,570 25,190 (4)2,420 
			 2004 39,140 27,270 (4)2,760 
			 2005 38,670 34,200 (4)2,850 
			 2006 (30 September) 36,920 33,160 (4)2,680 
			 2007 (30 September) 36,330 n/a (5)2,270 
			 (1) Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. (2) 1 April unless otherwise stated. (3) 1997-2006 figures are based on Mandate collection and departmental returns to provide 100 per cent. coverage. The 2007 figure is based on the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey. (4) Mandate only - incomplete coverage of Civil Service departments (5) Excludes employees of Central Science Laboratory. If Central Science Laboratory employees are included the estimate for York would change to 2,850 (see Annex B).  Sources: (Unpublished) Mandate collection 1997-2006; (Unpublished) Annual Civil Service Employment Survey 2007. 
		
	
	
		
			  Annex B:  Civil Service employment in York( 1) 
			  Permanent employees, full-time equivalent 
			  Department name  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			  Attorney General's Departments
			 Crown Prosecution Service 140 140 150 150 160 180 170 200 270 300 180 
			 Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 10 10 10 
			 Treasury Solicitor's n/a n/a n/a n/a 30 — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Ministry of Justice
			 Ministry of Justice (excl. agencies) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — — — n/a — 
			 HM Courts Service 40 40 30 30 30 40 40 40 40 n/a 80 
			 HM Land Registry 90 130 140 150 150 150 150 130 130 120 100 
			 Public Sector Prison Service n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 80 
			  Ministry of Defence( 1)
			 Ministry of Defence (including Royal Fleet Auxiliary) 460 300 280 170 180 190 200 220 230 570 630 
			 Army Base Repair Organisation 10 — — — — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 
			 Defence Secondary Care Agency (MOD) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 MOD Police (MOD) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — 70 100 n/a n/a 
			 RAF Training Group Defence (MOD) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — — n/a n/a 
			 Army Training and Recruiting Agency (MOD) 10 10 10 10 10 20 20 20 20 n/a n/a 
			 Defence Communications and Services Agency (MOD) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — — — n/a n/a 
			 Defence Estates (MOD) — — — — — — n/a 30 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Defence Dental Agency (MOD) n/a n/a n/a — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Army Personnel Centre (MOD) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Defence Vetting Agency (MOD) n/a .. .. 60 160 160 180 330 310 n/a n/a 
			 Defence Housing Executive (MOD) n/a n/a 20 20 20 20 20 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Health
			 Meat Hygiene Service n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 70 
			 Medical and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 20 
			  Home Office
			 Home Office (excl agencies) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — 20 — n/a 
			  HM Revenue and Customs
			 HMRC (excl agencies) 180 190 210 220 240 230 210 230 220 190 170 
			 Valuation Office 40 40 30 30 30 30 30 40 40 30 30 
			 Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
			 Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (excluding agencies) n/a — — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — — 
			  Department for Education & Skills (former)
			 Department for Education & Skills (former) n/a — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			  Department for Work and Pensions
			 DWP Corporate and Shared Services n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 10 — 60 60 60 
			 Child Support Agency 10 10 — n/a n/a n/a — n/a n/a — — 
			 Job Centre Plus n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 240 210 220 
			 The Rent Service n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 
			 Pension Service n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — 280 310 20 10 10 
			  Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
			 Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (excl. agencies) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 310 290 310 330 370 380 
			 Animal Health n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 10 
			 Central Science Laboratory 370 400 410 550 560 600 630 620 610 600 5803 
			 Pesticides Safety Directorate 200 190 200 200 180 180 170 180 190 180 180 
			 State Veterinary Service n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a — — n/a 
			  Department for Transport
			 Driving Standards Agency 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 
			  Communities and Local Government
			 Ordnance Survey 10 10 — n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 n/a = Not applicable.  Notes: 1 Numbers are rounded to the nearest 10, and numbers less than five are represented by "—". 2 MoD provided consolidated figures for 2006. 3 The Annual Civil Service Employment Survey uses post code to derive location. Central Science Laboratory (CSL) is classified as being in Ryedale based on post code information but is included here for consistency with previously published estimates.  Source: Mandate collection (1997-2006) Unpublished Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (2007)

Civil Servants: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the average payment per person to members of the Civil Service Pension Scheme was in 2008.

Tom Watson: The mean pension payment made to civil service pensioners in 2006-07 was published in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2006-07 [HC 897].
	Details of payments made under the Civil Service Pension Scheme in 2008 will be included in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Resource Accounts 2007-08 which will be published in due course.

Death: Methadone

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many deaths attributed to methadone addiction were recorded in London in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many deaths attributed to methadone addiction were recorded in London in each of the last five years. (232444)
	The attached table provides the numbers of deaths for which the underlying cause was drug poisoning and methadone was mentioned on the death certificate either alone or together with other substances, in London government office region, from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).
	The information collected at death registration does not specify whether the deceased was addicted to the substances mentioned as contributing to the death.
	
		
			  Number of deaths attributed to drug poisoning( 1)  where methadone was mentioned on the death certificate, London government office region, 2003 - 07( 2,)( )( 3,)( )( 4) 
			  Deaths 
			   Methadone mentioned only  Methadone and other substances  Total mentions of methadone 
			 2003 8 9 17 
			 2004 19 7 26 
			 2005 12 8 20 
			 2006 28 11 39 
			 2007 21 9 30 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in following table) and where methadone was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Based on boundaries as of 2008. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. (4) Where methadone was the only drug mentioned on the death certificate, and where methadone was mentioned with other substances. 
		
	
	
		
			  ICD-10  Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

Departmental Television

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 557W, on departmental television, which channels are subscribed to as part of the Sky mixes selection.

Tom Watson: The Sky mixes selection to which my Department subscribes provides for the full range of channels available under the Sky World package and covers the following categories which are described in detail on the company's website; News and Events, Sport, Style and Culture, Variety, Kids, Knowledge, Music and Movies.

Disadvantaged: Fareham

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what super output areas there are in Fareham constituency, ranked by level of deprivation; and what criteria are used to determine deprivation.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated October 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what Super Output Areas there are in Fareham constituency, ranked by level of deprivation; and what criteria are used to determine deprivation. (231753)
	The attached table includes a list of all Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) which fall within the parliamentary constituency of Fareham. Entries are ranked in order of deprivation—with the most deprived LSOAs at the top.
	The two columns included show the ranking of each Lower Layer Super Output Area in terms of deprivation:
	(1) within the parliamentary constituency of Fareham; and,
	(2) compared to all LSOAs in England.
	Low ranks indicate a high level of deprivation—so the most deprived LSOA in Fareham is Fareham 003C which is ranked 6,420th most deprived LSOA in England (from a total of 32,482 SOAs).
	The most commonly used indicator of deprivation, and that applied here, is the Index of Multiple Deprivation 2007 (IMD07). The IMD07 combines a number of indicators, chosen to cover a range of economic, social and housing issues, into a single deprivation score for each small area in England. More details on the construction and uses of the IMD07 can be obtained from the Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/comunities/neighbourhoodrenewal/deprivation/deprivation07/
	The ONS run Neighbourhood Statistics service—http:/neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk enables users to identify the location of individual SOAs and also to view the different 'domains' of deprivation which make up the IMD.
	
		
			  Lower Layer Super Output Areas (LSOAs) in Fareham parliamentary constituency ranked by deprivation (IMD 2007) (PQ621) 
			 IMD07 
			  LSOA code  LSOA name  Parl. con. name  Fareham rank  England rank 
			 E01022732 Fareham 003C Fareham 1 6,420 
			 E01022738 Fareham 011D Fareham 2 10,306 
			 E01022739 Fareham 011E Fareham 3 10,345 
			 E01022734 Fareham 003E Fareham 4 15,190 
			 E01022728 Fareham 011A Fareham 5 15,360 
			 E01022723 Fareham 008C Fareham 6 15,916 
			 E01022781 Fareham 007A Fareham 7 18,192 
			 E01022761 Fareham 012B Fareham 8 19,155 
			 E01022736 Fareham 011C Fareham 9 19,769 
			 E01022760 Fareham 012A Fareham 10 21,848 
			 E01022764 Fareham 012D Fareham 11 22,000 
			 E01022735 Fareham 011B Fareham 12 22,376 
			 E01022722 Fareham 008B Fareham 13 22,524 
			 E01022737 Fareham 008E Fareham 14 23,079 
			 E01022733 Fareham 003D Fareham 15 23,115 
			 E01022769 Fareham 008G Fareham 16 24,213 
			 E01022787 Fareham 002E Fareham 17 24,341 
			 E01022724 Fareham 008D Fareham 18 24,351 
			 E01022755 Fareham 006A Fareham 19 25,021 
			 E01022758 Fareham 001A Fareham 20 25,156 
			 E01022721 Fareham 008A Fareham 21 25,928 
			 E01022768 Fareham 010D Fareham 22 26,306 
			 E01022762 Fareham 012C Fareham 23 26,773 
			 E01022792 Fareham 006D Fareham 24 26,852 
			 E01022780 Fareham 002D Fareham 25 27,600 
			 E01022782 Fareham 007B Fareham 26 28,493 
			 E01022730 Fareham 003A Fareham 27 28,517 
			 E01022757 Fareham 005D Fareham 28 28,537 
			 E01022765 Fareham 010C Fareham 29 28,547 
			 E01022729 Fareham 004E Fareham 30 28,638 
			 E01022742 Fareham 009C Fareham 31 28,791 
			 E01022754 Fareham 002C Fareham 32 29,021 
			 E01022743 Fareham 004F Fareham 33 29,079 
			 E01022740 Fareham 009A Fareham 34 29,247 
			 E01022727 Fareham 004D Fareham 35 29,363 
			 E01022788 Fareham 002F Fareham 36 29,443 
			 E01022753 Fareham 002B Fareham 37 29,508 
			 E01022759 Fareham 010A Fareham 38 29,529 
			 E01022774 Fareham 001E Fareham 39 29,789 
			 E01022763 Fareham 010B Fareham 40 29,970 
			 E01022731 Fareham 003B Fareham 41 30,006 
			 E01022766 Fareham 008F Fareham 42 30,028 
			 E01022786 Fareham 007D Fareham 43 30,278 
			 E01022789 Fareham 007E Fareham 44 30,285 
			 E01022751 Fareham 005B Fareham 45 30,304 
			 E01022773 Fareham 001D Fareham 46 30,496 
			 E01022785 Fareham 007C Fareham 47 30,578 
			 E01022756 Fareham 006B Fareham 48 30,604 
			 E01022772 Fareham 001C Fareham 49 30,608 
			 E01022783 Fareham 009D Fareham 50 30,937 
			 E01022767 Fareham 012E Fareham 51 30,990 
			 E01022725 Fareham 004B Fareham 52 31,156 
			 E01022749 Fareham 002A Fareham 53 31,333 
			 E01022741 Fareham 009B Fareham 54 31,400 
			 E01022771 Fareham 001B Fareham 55 31,517 
			 E01022720 Fareham 004A Fareham 56 31,616 
			 E01022784 Fareham 009E Fareham 57 31,673 
			 E01022770 Fareham 010E Fareham 58 31,714 
			 E01022791 Fareham 006C Fareham 59 31,811 
			 E01022750 Fareham 005A Fareham 60 32,002 
			 E01022726 Fareham 004C Fareham 61 32,108 
			 E01022793 Fareham 006E Fareham 62 32,166 
			 E01022790 Fareham 005E Fareham 63 32,429 
			 E01022752 Fareham 005C Fareham 64 32,444

Government Departments: Correspondence

Norman Baker: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the average daily number of messages sent between officials or Ministers in all Departments by means of an instant message system; and by what means such messages are saved.

Tom Watson: The Department has made no estimate of the average daily number of messages sent between officials of Ministers in all Departments by means of an instant message system or the means by which such messages are saved.

Greater Manchester

Eric Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how much funding  (a) his Department and  (b) Capacitybuilders has given to (a) the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations, (b) Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Support and (c) Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Learning Consortium in the last 24 months.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office has not directly funded these organisations in the last 24 months.
	Over the past two years Capacitybuilders has awarded grants to Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations (GMCVO) under various programmes. GMCVO is the accountable body for Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Support and. Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Learning Consortium, so these are not independent organisations.
	The total funding received is as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Funding to GMCVO (£) 
			 2006-07 540,847 
			 2007-08 460,021 
			 Total 1,000,868 
		
	
	Figures for the 2008-09 financial year will be available once the departmental accounts have been audited and laid before Parliament, expected to be shortly before the summer recess.

Local Government: Manpower

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time equivalent total employee jobs there were in English local government in each year since 1996.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated November 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many full-time equivalent total employee jobs there were in English local government, according to Office for National Statistics figures, in each year since 1996.1 am replying in her absence. (232670)
	The Office for National Statistics collects employment statistics for the public sector, including local government, as part of the Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey. A consistent time-series for full-time equivalents is only available back to 1999. The requested statistics are attached at Annex A.
	
		
			  Annex A: Employment in local government, England , 1999 to  2008 
			  Full-time equivalent, Thousand, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Year( 1)  Local government 
			 1999 1,456 
			 2000 1,471 
			 2001 1,461 
			 2002 1,466 
			 2003 1,486 
			 2004 1,509 
			 2005 1,527 
			 2006 1,552 
			 2007 1,558 
			 2008 1,543 
			 (1) Quarter 2 figures are used as an annual reference point.  Source: (Unpublished) Quarterly Public Sector Employment Survey.

NHS: Information and Communications Technology

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the papers from the 2002 seminar on NHS IT held at Downing Street.

Tom Watson: Papers relating to the 2002 seminar on NHS IT held at Downing street were released following a Freedom of Information request and can be found on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/foi/reading_room.aspx
	Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Office for National Statistics: Internet

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps the Office for National Statistics is taking to develop its website.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated November 2008:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what steps the Office for National Statistics is taking to improve its website. I am replying in her absence. (232690)
	The Statistics and Registration Service Act gained Royal Assent in July 2007 and lead to the creation of the UK Statistics Authority on 1 April 2008 (the ONS is now the executive arm of the Authority). At the same time, the Authority (via ONS) launched a new Publication Hub which provides a single portal to new national statistics releases from the Government Statistical Service. ONS is currently undertaking a further redevelopment of this Hub, in order to provide additional services to users, including enhanced search and a new online Catalogue of official statistical products and supporting documentation, underpinned by a theme-based Taxonomy classification of all products. ONS is also redeveloping its own website in order to improve the way in which its statistics are presented, both in its publications and in the way in which the underlying data is made available to users. It is planned to implement the initial changes over the course of the next six months, and to continue to enhance the websites thereafter.
	The impact of these changes will be to enhance public confidence in official statistics. Statistical press releases from government departments are already being published on the Hub; free from Ministerial influence. In addition, there will be an improved experience for users of statistics by providing greater coherence in the publication of statistics over the internet, consistent with the 'transformation of government' agenda. Users should experience easier access to statistics, whilst at the same time gaining wider knowledge of all available official statistics. The provision of ONS datasets and an ability to analyse the data on-line will enhance the satisfaction of statistics users.

Older Workers

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the percentage of the workforce which will be over age 65 in  (a) 2012,  (b) 2015 and  (c) 2020.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on the percentage of the workforce which will be aged over 65 in a) 2012, b) 2015 and c) 2020 (231840).
	According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS) labour force projections published in January 2006, the percentage of the workforce aged 65 and over will be 2.2 per cent in 2012, 2.4 per cent in 2015 and 2.4 per cent in 2020.
	The workforce is defined as those who are economically active which includes all people aged 16 and over who are either in employment or 1LO unemployed.
	The labour force projections used to answer this question are ONS's best estimate available of the future labour force, based on demographic and activity rate trends available in 2005. Since their publication new population estimates and population projections have been produced. The labour force projections are therefore not consistent with figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release. ONS is working to update the labour force projections using more recent activity rate trends and up-to-date population estimates and projections. We expect that revised labour force projections will be published in spring 2009.
	Given these estimates are derived from a sample survey and use modelling techniques to project past trends forward over a long time period of time they are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	Further information on the methodology behind the current labour force projections is available from the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/article.asp?ID=1346&Pos=1&ColRank=&Rank=224

Older Workers

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the workforce is aged over  (a) 50,  (b) 65 and  (c) 70.

Kevin Brennan: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of the workforce is aged over (a) 50, (b) 65 and (c) 70. (231952)
	The workforce has been defined as people aged 16 and over who are economically active. Economically active comprises all those in employment plus those unemployed. The table provides the percentage shares of the total economically active population for the age groups requested.
	The estimates are derived from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) using the latest data available (April-June 2008). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty.
	The estimates in the table are derived from the LFS microdata which are weighted using the official population estimates published in autumn 2007. They are not entirely consistent with the figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release which are weighted using more up-to-date population estimates.
	
		
			  Percentage share of total economically active( 1)  population, aged 16+, three month period ending June 2008, United Kingdom, not seasonally adjusted 
			  Age  Economically active (percentage) 
			 50 and over 26.2 
			 65 and over 2.3 
			 70 and over 0.8 
			 (1) Economically active comprises all those in employment plus those unemployed It should be noted that the estimates: exclude people living in most types of communal establishment (e.g. hotels, boarding houses, hostels, mobile home sites etc).  Source: Labour Force Survey

Population

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what the latest population projections for the UK are for  (a) 2031,  (b) 2056 and  (c) 2081;
	(2)  what estimate has been made of when the population of the UK is expected to reach 70 million;
	(3)  what estimate has been made of the effect on total UK population of zero net migration by  (a) 2031,  (b) 2056 and  (c) 2081.

Kevin Brennan: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your questions asking:
	(1) what the latest population projections for the UK are for (a) 2031 (b) 2056 and (c) 2081. (232200);
	(2) what estimate has been made of when the population of the UK is expected to reach 70 million (232201); and
	(3) what estimate has been made of the effect on total UK population of zero net migration by (a) 2031 (b) 2056 and (c) 2081 (232202).
	The most recent national population projections, based on the population at the middle of 2006, were published by the Office for National Statistics on 23 October 2007. The main, or principal, projections are based on the best assumptions available at the time of future expected levels of migration, fertility and mortality. The attached table below gives the projected UK population under the principal projections for the three years requested (1).
	Under the principal projection the population of the UK is projected to reach 70 million in 2028 (2).
	Variant projections are also produced to show the effect of plausible alternative projections based on higher or lower assumptions. These can be used to illustrate the consequences of a particular set of assumptions. ONS publish a variant projection based on the assumption that net migration is zero throughout the projection period. The projected UK population totals for this variant projection can also be found in the table below (3).
	
		
			  Total projected population of the UK 2006—based national population projections 
			  Million 
			   Principal projection (1)  Zero migration variant projection (3) 
			 2031 71.1 63.8 
			 2056 78.6 61.5 
			 2081 85.3 57.3

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Emergency Lending

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what conditionality is being applied to emergency UK lending to developing countries in response to the global financial situation.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government are not directly providing emergency lending to developing countries in response to the global financial situation. The Department for International Development (DFID) has already initiated a 'vulnerability study' of our PSA—public service agreement—countries to help inform future funding decisions. We continue to support international financial institutions in their efforts to provide emergency financial support.

Afghanistan

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his Department's delivery of humanitarian aid in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: DFID has responded swiftly to the humanitarian situation through capable operational agencies, particularly the World Food Programme (WFP). Since January, we have committed £16.5 million to alleviate food shortages. This includes:
	(i) £11 million to help feed 4.5 million people; and
	(ii) £5.5 million to provide agricultural input including seeds, fertilisers, technical assistance to boost food production, and credit.
	We are monitoring the situation.

Millennium Development Goals

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with his G8 counterparts on meeting their commitments of funding for the achievement of the millennium development goals, with particular reference to Africa.

Douglas Alexander: I have regular discussions with my G8 counterparts in the course of international business in relation to the achievement of the millennium development goals, including at the UN MDG summit in New York on 25 September. The UK is on track to provide 0.7 per cent. of our national income in overseas development assistance by 2013 and we encourage others to do so.

Burma

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

John Howell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Burma; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Humanitarian conditions in the areas of Burma hit by Cyclone Nargis have improved significantly since access to international aid was opened at the end of May. DFID has contributed £45 million to the relief effort. However, very many people in the Irrawaddy Delta remain highly vulnerable.
	DFID's pre-cyclone programme of £12 million in 2008-09 continues to help people suffering severe poverty across Burma, as well as Burmese refugees in Thailand.

Kosovo

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian aid his Department is providing to Kosovo; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) is fully engaged in assisting the new country of Kosovo. DFID no longer provides direct humanitarian assistance to Kosovo as this is no longer required, apart from the provision given by the UNHCR to the small number of internally displaced persons remaining. UNHCR has been the sole provider of this support since the UN Administration in Kosovo closed its humanitarian section in 2001.
	In 2007-08, DFID provided £3.2 million to Kosovo in development assistance, directed at helping establish effective governance in Kosovo.

Ethiopia

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department is providing to Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development's (DFID) programme in Ethiopia is focused on: improving governance and accountability; promoting human development, including better health, education, water and sanitation; supporting sustainable growth; and providing humanitarian support. We expect to spend £165 million in Ethiopia this year, including at least £35 million in response to the humanitarian crisis.
	The Secretary of State visited Ethiopia last month to assess the impact of UK support. He commended the good progress made on expanding access to basic services and raised concerns at the humanitarian situation in the Somali region of the country, and the expected impact of proposed legislation to regulate civil society funding and activities.

Horn of Africa

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department is providing for famine relief in the horn of Africa.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) has contributed over £120 million in 2008 towards unmet humanitarian needs in the horn of Africa. These funds are in support of short-term food aid and supplementary feeding programmes, emergency water and sanitation, as well as medium-term cash and food-based safety net programmes in the worst affected areas.
	The Secretary of State, who visited Ethiopia last month to assess the impact of UK support, has expressed concern about the need to expand access to relief operations both in the Somali region of Ethiopia and in Somalia.

Zimbabwe

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: In a deteriorating humanitarian situation, 5 million people will rely on food aid by early 2009. Cholera risks are increasing, strained health services are collapsing and recent reports suggest only 40 per cent. of teachers present at school. Aid agencies are working to make the best of the next growing season. Zimbabwe will likely remain dependent on food aid for some time to come. DFID will spend £44 million this year meeting basic needs.

Afghanistan: Christian Aid

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of attacks on Christian aid workers in Afghanistan since January 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not make estimates as to the number of attacks on UK aid workers in Afghanistan. The Afghanistan NGO Security Office (ANSO) produces reports that include details of security incidents involving NGOs. The reports do not disaggregate incidents by faith.

Afghanistan: Health Centres

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds the Government  (a) has provided and  (b) plans to provide for the health clinic in Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan; and when he expects the project to be completed.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government have provided $308,336 for the construction of the district centre health clinic in Musa Qala. This clinic is due for completion in November 2008, with doctors and support staff ready to start work once the project is finished.
	The UK Government also provided $329,777 for the health clinic in Towghli Kell, Musa Qala. This project is now complete and the clinic is open, providing affordable public health facilities to the community.

Afghanistan: Roads

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the condition of the main bazaar road in Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan; what funding the Government have provided for the reconstruction of the road; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The UK Government, through the cross-governmental Stabilisation Unit, provided $200,000 to pave the 750 metre road through the bazaar in Musa Qala district centre. This project was identified as a priority by the local community, and its construction provided employment for local workers.
	The new road, with drainage channels, is an improvement on the previous mud track. Alongside other UK-funded road projects in Musa Qala, this project has enhanced the freedom of movement for local inhabitants and provides improved access to market for local traders.

Afghanistan: Utilities

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department has taken to improve the  (a) electricity and  (b) water supply in Musa Qala, Helmand province, Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Joint Department for International Development (DFID), Foreign and Commonwealth (FCO) and Ministry of Defence (MOD) funding pays for the fuel for the generator which supplies the main bazaar area of Musa Qala town. The UK provincial reconstruction team has also conducted an electrical survey and general infrastructure assessment of Musa Qala, to help the District Governor and Executive Shura plan future programmes.
	Musa Qala also receives electricity from the Kajaki dam on a rotation of two days on, two days off. The Kajaki dam will provide for the long-term electricity requirements in Musa Qala. A large-scale programme to increase the power supply from Kajaki dam is being undertaken by USAID, with security support from the UK-led Task Force Helmand. Power output from Kajaki is due to double by spring 2009, improving electricity supply to Helmand, including Musa Qala.
	The UK-led provincial reconstruction team in Helmand, with joint DFID, FCO, and MOD funding, is constructing two water towers and distribution centres in Musa Qala, to supply safe water to the community at a central location.
	In addition, with DFID funding, 175 drinking water wells are being constructed in several locations in Musa Qala district through the Ministry of Reconstruction and Rural Development.

Democratic Republic of Congo

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response his Department has made to the humanitarian crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Following a request from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Department for International Development (DFID) is organising relief flights with plastic sheeting, blankets, water purification tablets and buckets for immediate distribution to those in need. DFID funded partners are able to get some assistance to those displaced and in need in and around Goma and some of the secure outlying areas. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), UNICEF, the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental partners such as Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), Merlin and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) have been providing immediate relief aid such as emergency food, health, shelter and non-food items.
	DFID is one of the largest and most active humanitarian donors in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). A recent additional £5 million contribution for the crisis in North Kivu brings our total contribution in 2008 to £42 million. We are also engaged with humanitarian contacts, not least as current chair of the Good Humanitarian Donorship Group in DRC, to help assess the situation, co-ordinate donors and ensure that together donors respond to priority needs.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Internally Displaced Persons

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of  (a) the numbers displaced by the recent fighting in the Democratic Republic of the Congo,  (b) their humanitarian needs and  (c) whether aid is reaching those in need.

Douglas Alexander: Current estimates of the United Nations (UN) show that 55,000 have been displaced over the past week. This is in addition to some 250,000 displaced since August 2008, bringing the total number of displaced (IDPs) in North Kivu to some 900,000.
	From our discussions with UN and NGO partners, we believe the current urgent needs are for food, shelter, non-food items (such as blankets, water containers, hygiene kits) water and sanitation and health.
	As access improves and the fighting subsides, some aid is getting through. DFID funded partners, including the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), United Nations agencies such as the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental partners such as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), Merlin and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) are providing immediate relief aid in Goma and/or CNDP controlled areas north of Goma.
	DFID is one of the largest and most active humanitarian donors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We have recently announced an additional £5 million for North Kivu and this brings our total humanitarian contribution in 2008 for DRC to £42 million. Our assistance will be provided through an in-kind donation of emergency supplies to UNICEF (plastic sheeting, blankets, water purifications tablets and buckets) and financial grants to key partner agencies able to deliver immediate assistance on the ground.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Internally Displaced Persons

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance his Department is providing to civilians internally displaced by the renewed fighting in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Douglas Alexander: On Friday 31 October, I announced an additional £5 million for humanitarian needs in North Kivu, bringing our total support for humanitarian needs in DRC during 2008 to £42 million. Part of these funds are being used for relief flights bringing plastic sheeting, blankets, water purification tablets and buckets for immediate distribution to those in need, following a request for help from UNICEF. We are discussing with UN and NGO partners the priorities for the rest of the £5 million.
	In addition, our existing support is being used by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental partners such as Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), Merlin and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) to provide immediate relief aid such as emergency food, health, shelter and non-food items.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what personal training courses at public expense he has undertaken since his appointment.

Douglas Alexander: I have not undertaken any personal training courses at public expense since my appointment.

Developing Countries: Agriculture

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of his Department's budget was spent on international agricultural research in each of the last five years.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) is a major funder of agricultural research. The percentage of the total DFID budget spent on agricultural research in the last five years ranges between 0.70 per cent. and 0.98 per cent. of DFID's overall budget.
	
		
			   Percentage 
			 2003-04 0.80 
			 2004-05 0.98 
			 2005-06 0.79 
			 2006-07 0.70 
			 2007-08 0.73

Overseas Aid: Departmental Coordination

Andrew Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which other Government departments provided funds to the UN Development Programme as stated in Statistics on International Development 2008, page 124; and how much was so provided in each of the last three years.

Douglas Alexander: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is the only other Government Department that provided funds to the United Nations Development Programme, as stated in Statistics for International Development 2008, page 124. The FCO provided £9,360,000 in 2006-07 and £2,707,000 in 2007-08.

Sri Lanka: Internally Displaced Persons

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the number of people who are internally displaced in Sri Lanka as a result of the recent upsurge in violence; what aid the Government is giving as a result; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) on 28 October 2008,  Official Report , column 936W, and the answer given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz) on 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1343-44.

Zimbabwe: Bank Services

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what safeguards are in place to ensure that foreign exchange deposited in the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe by non-governmental organisations is not misappropriated; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) holds all aid funds for Zimbabwe in offshore accounts and we encourage our partners to do the same to prevent pilfering by the Reserve Bank. Under current regulatory rules established by the Reserve Bank, NGOs lodge their funds with commercial banks and not with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ). We aim to deliver DFID programmes using as little Zimbabwe currency as possible. Increasingly, as the economy declines, the use of foreign currency in Zimbabwe has become easier. Most of our procurement is done in foreign currency in accordance with EC rules and outside Zimbabwe. Goods are imported with tax and customs exemptions.
	Where funds have to be expended in local currency, money is transferred to local commercial banks for exchange at the best available rate and in small amounts at a time in order to preserve value. Similarly, some foreign currency payments need to be made from local bank accounts. DFID holds regular discussions with NGOs and other implementing partners to ensure that they are able to operate without interference. No DFID funds are transferred to the Government of Zimbabwe and no payments are made through the Reserve Bank.

HEALTH

Abuse

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will place in the Library its most recent assessment of serious case reviews in respect of abuse of vulnerable adults.

Phil Hope: The Department commissioned and funded Kings college London to undertake research on serious case reviews in England and Wales. This has been received and is currently being considered by the Department. A report is expected to be published this winter.

Alcoholic Drinks: Health Education

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts were awarded to carry out his Department's recent consultation on the alcohol strategy; and at what cost.

Dawn Primarolo: Four contracts have been awarded to carry out the Government's recent public consultation on alcohol:
	1. The Central Office of Information (COI) was awarded a £42,071 contract to produce the consultation documents;
	2. COI was awarded a £7,091 contract to produce consultation postcards;
	3. The Royal Mail Freepost service is used for returning the postcards, the cost of this service so far is £214.40; and
	4. COI was awarded a contract to run regional engagement workshops, at a provisional cost of £208,000.

Breast Cancer

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of  (a) women and  (b) men diagnosed with breast cancer recovered fully in the latest period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated 31 October 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what percentage of (a) women and (b) men diagnosed with breast cancer recovered fully in the latest period for which figures are available.
	It cannot be stated definitively whether a patient with breast cancer has 'recovered fully' after treatment. For most cancer, but not breast, five-year survival rates are often taken to be 'cure' rates.
	The five-year relative survival rate for (a) women patients diagnosed with breast cancer during 1999-2003 in England was 81%. Table 1 shows the predicted long-term relative survival rates for women diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001-2003 (the most recent period for which data are available).
	ONS does not produce survival rates for (b) men diagnosed with breast cancer because of the relatively small number of men diagnosed. Male breast cancer accounts for less than one per cent of all breast cancer cases.
	
		
			  Table 1: Predicted long-term relative survival( 1)  from breast cancer for female patients aged 15 to 99, England and Wales, 2001-03( 2) 
			  Duration of survival  Relative survival (Percentage) 
			 1 year 94.0 
			 5 years 80.3 
			 10 years 71.7 
			 15 years 67.5 
			 20 years 64.5 
			 (1) Relative survival takes into account that some cancer patients will die from causes other than their cancer. (2) Based on all women diagnosed with breast cancer between 1981 and 2001, who were alive for at least part of the period 2001-03.  Source: Office for National Statistics. Available on the ONS website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=14172

Care Homes: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing homes inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire received a (i) 0 star rating (poor), (ii) 1 star rating (adequate), (iii) 2 star rating (good) and (iv) 3 star rating (excellent) in each year since 2000.

Phil Hope: I am informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that CSCI can only provide the information requested from May 2008, when the star rating system was launched. This is shown in the following tables.
	The first table shows star ratings for nursing homes in Hertfordshire published in May and the second table shows the latest data available. All figures are inclusive of Hemel Hempstead. CSCI does not collect data for Hemel Hempstead separately because it is not a council with adult social services responsibility.
	
		
			  Distribution of star ratings of nursing homes in Hertfordshire council area at 7 May 2008 
			   Number 
			 0 stars—poor 1 
			 1 star—adequate 15 
			 2 stars—good 27 
			 3 stars—excellent 9 
			 Not yet rated 1 
			 Total 53 
		
	
	
		
			  Distribution of star ratings of nursing homes in Hertfordshire council area at 30 October 2008 
			   Number 
			 0 stars—poor 1 
			 1 star—adequate 15 
			 2 stars—good 30 
			 3 stars—excellent 9 
			 Not yet rated 2 
			 Total 57 
			  Source: CSQ database

Care Homes: Inspections

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nursing homes inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection in  (a) Peterborough and  (b) Cambridgeshire received a (i) 0 star rating (poor), (ii) 1 star rating (adequate), (iii) 2 star rating (good) and (iv) 3 star rating (excellent) in each year since 2000.

Phil Hope: I am informed by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that the information can be provided only from May 2008, when the star rating system began. This is shown in the following tables.
	The first table shows star ratings for nursing homes in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough published in May 2008 and the second table shows the latest data available.
	
		
			  Distribution of star ratings of nursing homes in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire council areas at 7 May 2008 
			   0 Stars (Poor)  1 Star (Adequate)  2 Stars (Good)  3 Stars (Excellent)  Not yet rated  Total 
			 Cambridgeshire 2 19 10 2 3 36 
			 Peterborough 1 3 3 1 0 8 
			 Total 3 22 13 3 3 44 
		
	
	
		
			  Distribution of star ratings of nursing homes in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire council areas at 30 October 2008 
			   0 Stars (Poor)  1 Star (Adequate)  2 Stars (Good)  3 Stars (Excellent)  Not yet rated  Total 
			 Cambridgeshire 0 14 19 2 1 36 
			 Peterborough 0 3 4 1 0 8 
			 Total 0 17 23 3 1 44 
			  Source: CSCI database

Carter Review of Pathology Services

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the Carter Review of Pathology Services.

Dawn Primarolo: The final report of the Independent Review of NHS Pathology Services in England, chaired by Lord Carter of Coles, is scheduled for publication by early December 2008.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision  (a) South West Herts Acute Hospital Trust and  (b) South West Herts Primary Care Trust have made for chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis services; what specific funding they receive to deliver these services; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: The provision and funding of services for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis is a matter for the local NHS. From 2008-09, funding has been added to primary care trust baseline allocations.

Community Care

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire of 30 June 2008,  Official Report, column 615W, on community care, how much the NHS spent on NHS-funded nursing care in each year; and what projections he has made of  (a) number receiving such care and  (b) cost of the care in each of the next 20 years.

Ben Bradshaw: Information on the cost of providing national health service-funded nursing care is not collected centrally.
	The Department commissioned the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics to produce projections of long-term care for older people and associated expenditure. Their latest projections are published in PSSRU Discussion Paper 2514 of March 2008 (Wittenberg et al, 2008), a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

Community Care: Disabled

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that disabled people living  (a) with their families and  (b) in residential homes are integrated into the wider community.

Phil Hope: The Government's five-year Independent Living Strategy aims to ensure disabled people have greater access to housing, transport, health, employment, education and leisure opportunities and to participation in family and community life.
	The Government wants every locality to have a single community-based support system, which focuses on all aspects of what people need to maximise their health and well-being and to participate in family and community life. The right of the individual disabled person to determine the kinds of services and support that they need will be at the heart of this reformed system.
	National minimum standards for care homes require that arrangements be made to enable residents to engage in local, social and community activities and to visit, or maintain contact or communicate with their families and friends.

Dental Services: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of dental patients in the West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust area were treated  (a) by the NHS and  (b) privately in each year from 1997 to 2007.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. Information on patients treated privately is not collected.
	The number of patients registered with an NHS dentist as a proportion of the population, in England, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 is available in Annex B of the NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report, England: 31 March 2006. Information is provided by primary care trust (PCT) and by strategic health authority (SHA) where appropriate.
	This information is based on the old contractual arrangements which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report, published on 23 August 2006, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	Under the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006, patients do not have to be registered with an NHS dentist to receive NHS care. The closest equivalent measure to 'registration' is the number of patients receiving NHS dental services ("patients seen') over a 24-month period. However, this is not directly comparable to the registration data for earlier years.
	Information on the number of patients seen by an NHS dentist in England, over the previous 24-month period, as a percentage of the population is available in Table C2 of Annex 3 of the NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2006-07 report. Information is available for the 24-month periods ending 31 March, 2006 and 2007. This information is provided by SHA and by PCT.
	This report, published on 23 August 2007, has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0607
	Both reports have been published by the NHS Information Centre for health and social care.
	Increasing the number of patients seen within the NHS dental service is now a national priority in The Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2008-09. We have supported this with an 11 per cent. uplift in overall dental allocations to PCTs from 1 April 2008. Copies of the Operating Framework are already available in the Library.

Dental Services: Manpower

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there were on a  (a) full-time equivalent and  (b) headcount basis in England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The information is not available in the format requested.
	The number of national health service dentists, as at 31 March, 1997 to 2006 is available in Table 4 of the 'NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006'.
	This measure counted the number of NHS dentists recorded on primary care trust (PCT) lists as at 31 March each year. This information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity.
	The numbers of dentists with NHS activity during the years ending 31 March, 2007 and 2008 are available in Table 32 of the 'NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007/08' report. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements, introduced on 1 April 2006. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the NHS Information Centre website at:
	http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708.
	Both sets of published figures relate to headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
	Data on full-time equivalent dentists are not available.

Departmental Dismissal

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of his staff were dismissed for improper conduct in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures are only available from the start of 2005. Since then no civil servants have been dismissed from the Department for improper conduct.

Departmental Dismissal

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff employed in his Department have been dismissed, or have had their employment contract otherwise terminated, for failure to perform to the standard expected since 2005.

Ben Bradshaw: Figures are only available from the start of 2005. Since then no civil servants have been dismissed from the Department, or have had their employment terminated, for failure to perform to the standards expected.

Departmental NDPBs

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any office premises are shared between each of  (a) Monitor,  (b) the Standing Dental Advisory Committee,  (c) the Doctors and Dentist Review Body,  (d) the NHS Litigation Authority,  (e) the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement,  (f) the NHS Business Services Authority and  (g) the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency and another publicly-funded body; and what rent each organisation paid for its offices in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: The Standing Dental Advisory Committee has no premises. The Doctors and Dentists Review Body is one of the six independent Pay Review Bodies, the secretariat for which is provided by the Office of Manpower Economics (OME). The OME's office premises are the responsibility of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.
	No premises are shared between the other organisations listed. It is not possible to determine whether offices for the remaining organisations are shared with other publicly funded bodies as this information is not held centrally in the Department.
	Available figures for the 12-month rental costs for offices for each organisation is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			  (a) Monitor 355,015 
			  (b) Standing Dental Advisory Committee n/a 
			  (c) Doctors and Dentists Review Body n/a 
			  (d) NHS Litigation Authority 638,078 
			  (e) NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement 326,496 
			  (f) NHS Business Services Authority 2,200,311 
			  (g) NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency 332,500

Doctors: Cambridgeshire

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors per 100,000 residents there were in  (a) Peterborough and  (b) Cambridgeshire in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 population for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) for 2006 and 2007. Information is not available for the years prior to 2006 because the complex mergers of the old organisations that created these PCTs mean it is not possible to provide a consistent time series.
	
		
			  GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) per 100,000 population for specified orga nisations, 2006 and 2007 
			  H eadcount 
			   2006  2007 
			 Peterborough PCT 57.6 60.0 
			 Cambridgeshire PCT 66.8 69.0 
			  Notes: 1. Although PCTs serve a defined geographical area, hospital trusts are not defined in this way. Consequently it is not possible to give a figure for the number of hospital doctors per 100,000 population as it would only include those employed directly by the PCT and would be incomplete. Thus numbers provided here are for GPs only. 2. Peterborough PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of North Peterborough PCT and a part merger of South Peterborough PCT (Peterborough part). Cambridgeshire PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of Cambridge City PCT, East Cambridgeshire and Fenland PCT, Huntingdonshire PCT, South Cambridgeshire PCT and with a part merger of South Peterborough PCT (Cambridgeshire elements). Due to these part mergers of old PCTs to create these two organisations it is not possible to map figures back prior to 2006 and provide a consistent time series. 3. Data as at 30 September 2006 and 2007 4. Data Quality: Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health, and social care: general and personal medical services statistics: and Office for National Statistics population figures: 2006-2007 mid-year estimates based on 2001 census.

Doctors: Manpower

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors per 100,000 residents there were in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in each year since 1997.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. The following table shows the number of general practitioners (GPs) per 100,000 population for health authorities (HAs) and primary care trusts (PCTs) in Hertfordshire and for Hertfordshire as a whole in each year since 1997.
	
		
			  GPs (excluding retainers and registrars) per 100,000 population in Hertfordshire, 1997 to 2007 
			  Headcount 
			  Area  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 East and North Hertfordshire HA 57.3 59.0 57.8 56.0 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 West Hertfordshire HA 56.7 57.1 57.3 57.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 East and North Hertfordshire PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a 56.4 56.3 57.4 59.8 60.8 60.1 59.8 
			 West Hertfordshire PCT n/a n/a n/a n/a 60.0 60.9 61.7 63.5 64.9 65.8 65.9 
			 Hertfordshire (total) 57.0 58.0 57.5 56.9 58.2 58.6 59.6 61.6 62.9 62.9 62.8 
			 n/a = not applicable  Notes: 1. Although PCTs serve a defined geographical area, hospital trusts do not. Consequently, it is not possible to give a figure for the number of hospital doctors per 100,000 population, as it would include only those employed directly by the PCT and would be incomplete. Thus, numbers are provided for GPs only. 2. East and North Hertfordshire PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of North Hertfordshire and Stevenage PCT, Royston, Buntingford and Bishop's Stortford PCT, South East Hertfordshire PCT and Welwyn Hatfield PCT. West Hertfordshire PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of Dacorum PCT, Hertsmere PCT, St Albans and Harpenden PCT and Watford and Three Rivers PCT. Data for the years 2001-2005 in the table have been presented using the 2006 format for purposes of presentation and comparison. 3. Prior to the existence of PCTs, in the years 1997-2000 Hertfordshire was served by East and North Hertfordshire HA and West Hertfordshire HA. 4. Data for Hemel Hempstead are not available. Data are available for trusts and PCTs that provide or provided services within the Hemel Hempstead constituency. 5. Data at 1 October 1997-99 and 30 September 2000-07. 6. Data quality: Work force statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 national health service trusts and PCTs in England. The Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens, any impact on figures already published will be assessed, but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care: general and personal medical services statistics; and Office for National Statistics population figures: 1997-2000 mid-year estimates based on 1991 census, 2001-2007 mid-year estimates based on 2001 census.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of methadone prescriptions relating to substance abuse were made by general practitioners in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many of these were not made as part of formal drug treatment programmes.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 17 October 2008,  Official  R eport , column 1557W.
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse does not collect data on prescriptions made outside of structured drug treatment programmes.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were prescribed  (a) methadone and  (b) other hard drug substitutes in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse collects data on the local services via the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS). The NDTMS does not record the specific substitute drug a drug misuser in treatment is prescribed and while the majority of clients will have received methadone, clients' treatment programmes/regimes may have included buprenorphine and diamorphine.
	The following table shows the number of clients receiving substitute prescribing in both primary care (general practitioner prescribing) and secondary care (specialist prescribing).
	
		
			   Number of clients 
			 2007-08 131,468 
			 2006-07 118,107 
			 2005-06 107,093 
			 2004-05 88,196 
		
	
	Figures are not provided for 2003-04 for data quality reasons. The current NDTMS data collection began in April 2004 and although some data was collected retrospectively for the period 2003-04 this is incomplete.

Elderly: Abuse

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the number of vulnerable older people who have undergone physical or physiological abuse in residential care homes in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not held centrally. However, residential care homes are required by the care home regulations and national minimum standards to record all allegations and incidents of abuse, together with the follow-up actions taken. Where harm or risk of harm occurs, care homes have a legal duty to make a referral to the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list. Care home managers should also be aware of their local authority safeguarding arrangements and make appropriate referrals to the Adult Protection Co-ordinator.
	On 16 October the Government launched a public consultation on the review of the local safeguarding guidance 'No Secrets'. This guidance provides a framework for councils to work with the police, the national health service and regulators to tackle abuse and prevent it from occurring. A copy of the consultation document 'Safeguarding Adults: A consultation on the Review of the 'No Secrets' Guidance' is available in the House of Commons Library and the DH website
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/DH_089098
	Work is under way to develop an annual data collection of adult abuse referrals in England. The NHS Information Centre (IC) for health and social care is leading the work, and has now undertaken a pilot collection from 40 local authorities. The data are currently being analysed. Subject to the outcome of the pilot, the IC expects to be able to implement a data collection across all councils during 2009-10.
	The Government acknowledge that more information is needed about the experiences of vulnerable adults in care homes. That is why on 27 March 2008, the Department and Comic Relief announced £2 million funding for a new joint research initiative investigating the dignity and safety of older people being cared for in institutional settings. This will explore the experience of older people, and the staff who care for them, in settings such as care homes, intermediate care and hospitals. It builds on the earlier research and is likely to run until April 2011. The tender exercise for this is currently under way.

Gender Variant People

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many copies of his Department's guidance for GPs, other clinicians and health professionals on the treatment of gender variant people and related leaflets have been printed; what the budget for distribution of the documents is; what criteria were used for the dissemination of the documents to  (a) commissioners of services,  (b) general practitioners and  (c) other clinicians and health professionals; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: This information is not collected centrally. The Department's guidance for general practitioners and other professionals on the care of gender variant people, first published in May 2008, has been placed in the Library.

Health Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 64W, on health centres, what arrangements his Department has made for primary care trusts to fulfill their obligations under the GP-led health centres programme in cases where a trust has already put out to tender for a GP-led health centre and does not have a valid requirement for a further centre.

Ann Keen: The national GP Patient Survey demonstrates that in all primary care trusts (PCTs) there remains a level of patient dissatisfaction in accessing general practitioner (GP) services. This year patients identified a 2 per cent. reduction in satisfaction with access to their GP. Each primary care trust will therefore benefit from the development of a new GP-led health centre that will allow any patient to access a GP from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week without having to change their normal registration with their existing practice. It will also allow more choice for patients in how they can access primary care services. We are looking to PCTs to come up with innovative solutions that meet their health care needs.

Health Centres

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2008,  Official Report, column 64W, on health centres, for what reason primary care trusts were not able to submit in their contribution to the GP-led health centre programme any proposed centre where the call for tender had already been issued.

Ann Keen: We have asked strategic health authorities to ensure that primary care trusts are guided by the principle that their plans for these new services should be in addition to any services that have already been commissioned.

Health Education: Finance

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on advertising campaigns on  (a) smoking,  (b) binge drinking and  (c) drug awareness in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The following tables show expenditure on smoking, binge drinking, and drug awareness advertising in the period from 2003-04 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Expenditure on smoking advertising 
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 17.76 
			 2004-05 20.10 
			 2005-06 20.60 
			 2006-07 12.50 
			 2007-08 16.16 
		
	
	The current alcohol campaign was launched in October 2006.
	
		
			  Expenditure on alcohol harm reduction advertising( 1) 
			   £ million 
			 2006-07 1.90 
			 2007-08 1.30 
			 (1) Department of Health contribution to campaign run jointly with Home Office. 
		
	
	
		
			  Expenditure on drugs education advertising 
			   £ million 
			 2003-04 1.50 
			 2004-05 1.99 
			 2005-06 1.26 
			 2006-07 3.13 
			 2007-08 2.00 
			 (1) Department of Health contribution to campaign run jointly with Home.

Health: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people living in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire have been diagnosed with (i) coronary heart disease, (ii) diabetes and (iii) food-related allergies.

Ann Keen: The Department does not collect information in the form requested. However, the national Quality and Outcomes Framework, which many general practices participate in, records the number of people recorded on certain practice disease registers. Such registers exist for both coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes.
	The CHD register includes all patients who have had coronary artery revascularisation procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, patients with Cardiac Syndrome X will not generally be included in the CHD register.
	The diabetes register includes patients aged 17 years and over with diabetes mellitus. As the care of children with diabetes mellitus is generally under the control of specialists, the diabetes register generally excludes those patients age 16 and under.
	We are unable to supply this information for Hemel Hempstead or Hertfordshire but have supplied information for the health areas that best fit; namely West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) for Hemel Hempstead and West Hertfordshire and East and North Hertfordshire PCTs combined to represent Hertfordshire.
	Information is shown in the following table.
	The Department does not collect any data on food related allergies.
	
		
			  2007-08 
			  Patient register  Number of patients 
			  West Hertfordshire PCT  
			 Coronary heart disease 15,810 
			 Diabetes 18,174 
			   
			  West Hertfordshire PCT and East and North Hertfordshire PCTs  
			 Coronary heart disease 32,967 
			 Diabetes 37,611

Hepatitis

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the prevalence of hepatitis B in each strategic health authority area.

Dawn Primarolo: The Health Protection Agency Centre for Infections is not able to produce estimates of the prevalence of hepatitis B at strategic health authority level.

Hepatitis

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department  (a) has issued and  (b) plans to issue to health commissioners on hepatitis B services.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave him on 6 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 422-24W.

Maternity Services

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 1172-76W, on maternity services, what the value is of the combined total damages of  (a) all settled claims and  (b) settled claims that arose from maternity care, awarded under the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts.

Ann Keen: The NHS Litigation Authority has supplied the information requested, as of 30 September 2008, in the following table:
	
		
			  Specialty  Total damages (£) 
			 Obstetrics 946,458,366 
			 Non-obstetrics 1,228,051,128 
			 Total 2,174,509,494

Maternity Services

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1176W, on maternity services, how many of the midwife-led units were  (a) situated alongside consultant-led units and  (b) stand-alone units.

Ann Keen: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, information published as part of the Healthcare Commission's review of maternity services in England (January 2008) shows that of the 82 midwife- led units, 57 are stand alone units and 25 are situated alongside consultant-led units.

Medical Records

Richard Bacon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  by what means a GP practice may transfer the medical records of patients who leave its catchment area and register with another practice;
	(2)  how many primary care trusts permit the transfer of patient records between GPs' practices  (a) by electronic means,  (b) on paper only and  (c) by both paper and electronic means;
	(3)  what his Department's policy is on the practice of electronic transfer of patient records between GPs outside of the GP2GP system;
	(4)  how many primary care trusts convert electronic patient records into paper documentation for the purposes of transfer between GPs practices; how many of those are known to have made errors in the transcription of such documents; and how many such errors are known to have been made in the last three years.

Ben Bradshaw: A practice must transfer the patient health record via the local primary care trust (PCT) as this is required by Regulations. In most cases this will involve transfer of the Lloyd George paper records but where the PCT has agreed this could be achieved by an electronic copy. Practices can also transfer a copy of the electronic record to a patient's new practice by a GP2GP electronic health record transfer. No information is collected centrally on the numbers of PCTs that transfer records by electronic, paper or by both these means.
	GP2GP is the recognised, secure method of transferring patient records between general practitioner (GP) practices and some 4,800 practices have the ability to transfer records by GP2GP at the present time. The GP2GP project is working closely with those clinical system suppliers who are currently non-compliant to extend the scope of this service which brings benefits for patients and for doctors by enabling patient information to be securely transferred and available much quicker than before.
	Where it has been agreed by the PCT that patient records may be transferred in an electronic format or indeed on paper, robust information governance standards must be applied to ensure the safe and secure transfer of the record. The national health service chief executive, has written to all NHS trust chief executives to confirm the information governance standards that must apply to patient data.
	Information is not collected centrally on how many PCTs convert electronic patient records into paper documentation for the purposes of transfer between GP practices, nor the frequency that this occurs or on the number of transcription errors.

Methadone

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were prescribed methadone in  (a) the UK,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley district and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of those prescribed methadone in the UK in each of the last 10 years were aged (i) under 18, (ii) between 18 and 25, (iii) between 26 and 40 and (iv) over 40 years at the date of first prescription.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not hold information on the number or age of patients treated with a particular drug. However we are able to provide two related sources of data covering the north east. These are the number of methadone prescriptions and the number of people receiving specialist prescribing treatment for drug misuse.
	However, the number of items prescribed and dispensed for methadone is in the following table. Information is only held for the last 60 months and is based on the national health service organisation that most closely represents the areas requested.
	Methadone can be used to treat more than one condition—it is licensed for use in opioid dependence, as an analgesic and as a cough suppressant.
	
		
			  Number of prescription items (not individuals receiving prescriptions) of methadone 
			  Thousand 
			   Financial year 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 England (prescribed in the community in England and dispensed in the UK) 1,089.7 1,310.6 1,585.7 1,894.7 
			 England (prescribed in hospitals and dispensed in the community in England) 769.4 797.1 750.7 651.7 
			  
			  Subtotal for North East 103.7 136.3 162.2 179.6 
			 North East SHA(1) — — 124.5 179.6 
			 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA 28.6 38.9 12.2 — 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley SHA 75.0 97.3 25.5 — 
			  
			 Stockton on Tees Teaching PCT 16.5 21.6 21.8 21.8 
			 Middlesbrough PCT(2) 27.4 31.4 30.3 31.3 
			 Redcar and Cleveland PCT(3) 1.6 2.5 4.9 5.5 
			 Following the primary care trust (PCT) reconfiguration in 2006 (1 )Northumberland, Tyne and Wear SHA and County Durham and Tees Valley SHA merged to form North East SHA. (2 )A part of Middlesbrough PCT joined with others to form Redcar and Cleveland PCT. Middlesbrough PCT remained but as a smaller PCT. (3 )Langbaurgh PCT merged with a part of Middlesbrough PCT and became Redcar and Cleveland PCT.  Notes:  1. Due to these changes it is not possible to compare the numbers of items prescribed in one year to the number in the next.  2. National figures for prescriptions written in hospitals and dispensed in the community in England are sourced from Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA).  Source:  For all other figures was the Prescribing Analysis and Cost Tool (PACT) 
		
	
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse's (NTA) National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) collects data on people in drug treatment in England.
	NDTMS records the numbers of people receiving specialist prescribing for drug treatment rather than the type of drug which is prescribed. Most of those in treatment receive oral methadone but buprenorphine or other substitute opioids may also be prescribed.
	The NDTMS only records data based on local authority boundaries, and only since 2004-05. The NDTMS does not break down data specifically for the Tees Valley district, or Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland constituency, and only records data for England not the whole of the UK.
	Data for the number of people receiving prescribing treatment for the local authority areas of Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland, as well as the north east and England, for each of the years since 2004-05 is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of individuals receiving prescribing treatment (including methadone) for drug misuse 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Middlesbrough 962 905 1,038 1,137 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 379 378 417 518 
			 North East 6,248 7,175 7,930 9,145 
			 England 88,196 107,093 118,107 131,468 
		
	
	The percentages of people receiving prescribing treatment in England, for the age brackets as requested and since 2004-05 are in the following table.
	
		
			  Percentage of people receiving prescribing treatment (including methadone) by age 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Under 18 1 0 0 0 
			 18 to 25 28 25 24 22 
			 26 to 40 58 61 62 64 
			 40 plus 11 13 14 15 
			  Note:  Due to rounding, percentages may not always total 100 per cent.

Methadone: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were prescribed methadone in  (a) Hemel Hempstead,  (b) West Hertfordshire Hospital Trust and  (c) Hertfordshire in each of the last 10 years; and what percentage was aged (i) under 18, (ii) between 18 and 25, (iii) between 26 and 40 and (iv) over 40 years at the date of the first prescription.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not hold information on the number or age of patients treated with a particular drug. However we are able to provide two related sources of data covering the Hertfordshire area. These are the number of methadone prescriptions and the number of people receiving specialist prescribing treatment for drug misuse.
	The number of items prescribed and dispensed for methadone is in the following table. We are unable to supply information for the areas requested as they are not health regions. We have supplied information for the health areas that most closely fit those requested (West Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) to represent Hemel Hempstead and West Hertfordshire and East and North Hertfordshire PCTs combined to represent Hertfordshire). Furthermore, some of these health areas have changed under the reconfiguration of PCTs in 2006, details of which are given as follows. Information is only held for the last 60 months.
	Methadone can be used to treat more than one condition - it is licensed for use in opioid dependence, as an analgesic and as a cough suppressant.
	
		
			  Number of prescription items (not individuals receiving prescriptions) of methadone, as whole numbers 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Hertfordshire(1) 7,140 5,404 5,442 6,937 
			 West Hertfordshire(2) 4,413 3,350 3,741 5,128 
			 (1) Due to changes in PCT configuration Hertfordshire comprises of the following PCTs:  Post 2006 PCT changes East and North Hertfordshire PCT; and West Hertfordshire PCT.  Pre 2006 changes Dacorum PCT; Hertsmere PCT; North Herts and Stevenage PCT; Royston, Buntingford and Bishops Stortford PCT; South East Hertfordshire PCT; St Albans and Harpenden PCT; Watford and Three Rivers PCT; and Welwyn Hatfield PCT. (2) Due to changes in PCT configuration West Hertfordshire comprised of the following PCTs, pre 2006 changes: Dacorum PCT; Hertsmere PCT; St. Albans and Harpenden PCT; and Watford and Three Rivers PCT. Due to these changes it is not possible to compare the numbers of items prescribed in one year to the number in the next. 
		
	
	The National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse's (NTA) National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) collects data on people in drug treatment in England.
	NDTMS only records numbers of people receiving specialist prescribing for drug treatment rather than the type of drug which is prescribed. Most of those in treatment receive oral methadone but buprenorphine or other substitute opioids may also be prescribed.
	The NDTMS only records data for the county of Hertfordshire, and only since 2004-05.
	The number of people who received prescribing treatment for drug misuse for each of the years since 2004-05 is in the following table.
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 831 
			 2005-06 970 
			 2006-07 1,081 
			 2007-08 1,310 
		
	
	The percentages of people receiving prescribing treatment, for the age brackets as requested are as follows.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 under 18 1 1 0 0 
			 18 to 25 28 24 22 21 
			 26 to 40 59 62 64 62 
			 41+ 12 13 13 17 
			  Notes: Percentages may not always total 100 per cent. owing to rounding.

Mid Essex Hospital Trust: Accident and Emergency Departments

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time at accident and emergency departments at Mid Essex Hospital Trust hospitals was in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: Information is not collected centrally in the format requested. Information on time spent in accident and emergency (A and E) service and E waits, which is set at 98 per cent. of patients seen, diagnosed and treated within four hours of their arrival at A and E. Data on A and E activity is collected and published quarterly as part of the Department's QMAE dataset. Latest published figures show that, for quarter one in 2008-09, performance for Mid Essex Hospital Trust was 99.1 per cent, (all types). The data for the previous five years has been set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Total time spent in A&E from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge, Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust, including activity at partner primary care trusts (PCTs), 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			   Percentage of patients who spent less than four hours in A and E 
			 2003-04 91.2 
			 2004-05 96.9 
			 2005-06 98.8 
			 2006-07 98.8 
			 2007-08 98.2 
			  Notes: 1. Data for 2003-04 and quarter one 2004-05 does not include activity at partner PCTs. 2. Data for quarter two, quarter three and quarter four 2004-05 and quarter one 2005-06 includes activity at partner PCT—Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT. There was no activity at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust's partner PCTs from Q2 2005-06  Source: Department of Health dataset QMAE.

Neurology

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on the implementation of the national service framework on long-term neurological conditions; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Since publication of the national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions in March 2005, the Department has co-ordinated a range of activities to help local health and social care organisations take forward local implementation of the NSF. This includes:
	working with key national health service, social care, voluntary and independent sector stakeholders, as well as service users and carers, to identify and address key issues in neurological services and the stakeholders' role in implementation;
	ensuring that other key delivery programmes, most especially the White Paper "Our Health, Our Say" and the long-term conditions strategy help deliver key NSF objectives; and
	work with the Care Services Improvement Partnership to promote implementation of the NSF through a co-ordinated work programme, including regional workshops, a web-based getting started pack and self-assessment tool for services.
	The NSF is for implementation over 10 years and local bodies can set their own pace of change within this period, according to local priorities. However, the planning framework makes clear that the national health service and local authorities will need to demonstrate that they are making progress in planning and developing the levels of service quality described in the NSF over the course of the three year planning period (2005/08).

NHS: Dental Services

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS dentists there were on a  (a) full-time equivalent and  (b) headcount basis in (i) Peterborough, (ii) Cambridgeshire and (iii) the East of England in each of the last five years.

Ann Keen: The number of national health service dentists from 1997 to 2006 is available in Annex E of the report "NHS Dental Activity and Workforce Report England: 31 March 2006". Information is available by strategic health authority (SHA) and by primary care trust (PCT). Annex G of the report contains information by constituency.
	This measure counted the number of NHS dentists recorded on PCT lists at 31 March each year. The information is based on the old contractual arrangements, which were in place up to and including 31 March 2006. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the website of the Information Centre for health and social care at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dwfactivity
	The number of dentists with national health service activity during the years ending 31 March 2007 and 2008 is available in Table G1 of Annex 3 of the report "NHS Dental Statistics for England: 2007-08". Information is provided by SHA and by PCT but is not available by constituency. This information is based on the new dental contractual arrangements introduced on 1 April 2006.
	Following a recent consultation exercise, this measure is based on a revised methodology and therefore supersedes previously published workforce figures relating to the new dental contractual arrangements. It is not comparable to the information collected under the old contractual arrangements. The revised methodology counted the number of dental performers with NHS activity recorded via FP17 claim forms in each year ending 31 March. This report has already been placed in the Library and is also available on the Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental0708
	Further work is planned over the next 12 months to determine whether the definition used under the new dental contractual arrangements can be applied to the years under the old contractual arrangements to produce a consistent time series.
	Both sets of published figures relate to headcounts and do not differentiate between full-time and part-time dentists, nor do they account for the fact that some dentists may do more NHS work than others.
	Information on full-time equivalent dentists are not available. However, information on dentists' average weekly hours and weekly NHS hours is available in the report "Dental Working Hours, England and Wales 2006-07 and 2007-08". This report has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Information Centre website at:
	www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dentalworkinghours0708
	All of the aforementioned reports have been published by the Information Centre for health and social care.

NHS: Drugs

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received from commercial organisations on the effect of publishing the 50 most frequently notified products in its quarterly summary report for importation of unlicensed medicines; and what the reasons were for the publication of the list.

Dawn Primarolo: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has received two representations from commercial organisations about the publication of the MHRA quarterly summary reports for importation of unlicensed medicines. One expressed commercial concerns and felt that importers may tend to prefer to import listed products at the expense of other products, and the second company commented that the information was relevant, useful and interesting.
	The MHRA publishes this list in response to requests from health care professionals for information received during the current review of unlicensed medicines and to provide general information on commonly imported unlicensed products. This may encourage companies to apply for marketing authorisations and also provides transparency on the operation of the importation process.

NHS: Information Communications Technology

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answers of 22 April 2008,  Official Report, column 1990W and 6 June on NHS care records, when the registers of service were transferred to the Spine; and where they were held prior to being transferred.

Ben Bradshaw: The Spine has had the following registers of service transferred to it:
	The NHS Strategic Tracing Service (NSTS) started to transfer records to the Spine in June 2004. This system was located in an Atos Origin Datacentre in Andover. It was previously managed by the NHS Information Authority and is maintained under contract by Atos Origin; and
	The Central Health Register Inquiry System (CHRIS) which was originally maintained by the Office for National Statistics on behalf of the national health service, in October 2008. A small amount of remaining information is scheduled for transfer in 2009. The system is located in Southport.

NHS: Pensions

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many part-time employees are  (a) enrolled in the NHS pension scheme and  (b) eligible to be enrolled in the NHS pension scheme.

Ann Keen: The latest information available for the NHS Pension Scheme England and Wales on the number of part-time members is 535,234. These data are from a special extract from the NHS Pensions mainframe as at 29 September 2005 and represents a snapshot in time. These data include employees of national health service organisations, practice staff and employees of direction bodies. As at 30 September 2005, there were 492,389 part-time staff employed by NHS organisations in England and Wales who were eligible to join the NHS pension scheme. These data do not include practice staff, as a breakdown by nature of contract is not collected, and the staff of direction bodies. As at 30 September 2005, there were 112,094 (headcount) and 72,990 (FTE) practice staff in England which includes practice nurses and around 18,000 pension scheme members in direction bodies. Data on practice staff are not available for Wales for the year ending 30 September 2005 .
	 Source
	NHS Pensions, the Information Centre for Health and Social Care and the Welsh Assembly Government.

NHS: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national health service staff will have received a payment from the national health service pension fund in 2008 by the end of the year.

Ann Keen: Latest available data on numbers of members of the NHS pension scheme, including pensioner numbers is available in the NHS Pension Scheme Resource Accounts 2006-07. Data is not currently available for the 2007-08 year.

NHS: Reorganisation

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 317W, which companies are providing communications services for the NHS Next Stage Review; what value of contract has been awarded to each company; and what services are being provided by each such company in assisting the review.

Ann Keen: The national health service Next Stage Review was completed on 30 June 2008 with the publication of 'High Quality Care for All'. I refer the hon. Member to my previous answer of 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 317W, regarding the provision of these services while the review was being undertaken.

Nurses and Other Professions Review Body

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) areas of responsibility and  (b) Government-funded budget are of the Nurses and Other Health Professions Review Body.

Ann Keen: The NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB), formerly known as Nurses and Other Health Professions Review Body, is responsible for making recommendations on the remuneration of all NHS staff paid under the Agenda for Change pay system (all directly employed non-medical staff with the exception of Very senior managers).
	The NHSPRB is supported by the Office of Manpower Economics (OME) who provide an independent secretariat to the review body. The Department is expecting to transfer £58,650 to OME for remuneration costs of committee members in 2008-09.

Nurses: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many practice nurses there were in (a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) the Chelmsford local authority area in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2007.

Ann Keen: Data is not collected in the format requested. Data is available for the primary care trusts (PCTs) that serve the constituency and local authority areas for 2002 and 2007 and is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Practice Nurses for selected area in 2002 and 2007 
			  N umber (headcount) 
			   2002  2007 
			 Total for specified organisations 168 175 
			 Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT 46 n/a 
			 Chelmsford 67 n/a 
			 Witham, Braintree and Halstead 55 n/a 
			 Mid Essex PCT n/a 175 
			 n/a = Not applicable.  Notes: 1. Data for practice nurses is not available at parliamentary constituency or local authority area. West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency and the Chelmsford local authority area are contained within and served by the Primary Care Trusts provided here. 2. Mid Essex PCT was created on 1 October 2006 from a complete merger of Chelmsford PCT, Maldon and South Chelmsford PCT and Witham, Braintree and Halstead PCT 3. Prior to 2002 PCTs did not exist. It is not possible to map organisations back beyond this to provide a time series. Data as at 30 September 2002 and 2007  Data Quality. Workforce statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data. Processing methods and procedures are continually being updated to improve data quality. Where this happens any impact on figures already published will be assessed but unless this is significant at national level they will not be changed. Where there is impact only at detailed or local level this will be footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The Information Centre for health and social care General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

Obesity: Children

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in Hertfordshire have a body mass index which indicates obesity.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available in the format requested.
	Information on the proportion of children aged four to five years and aged 10 to 11 years that are obese in Hertfordshire local authority (LA), East and North Hertfordshire Primary Care Trust (PCT) and West Hertfordshire PCT is collected through the National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP). The NCMP report provides high-level analysis of the prevalence of obese children, aged four to five years and aged 10 to 11 years.
	This information is available in the National Child Measurement Programme: 2006-07 school year, headline results which was published on 21 February 2008. The prevalence of obese children in the Hertfordshire LA can be found in table C (pages 39-40). The prevalence of obese children in East and North Hertfordshire PCT and West Hertfordshire PCT can be found in Table A (pages 36-37). This publication has been placed in the Library.

Oxygen: Medical Equipment

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what accidents with home oxygen have been reported to his Department in the last 12 months.

Ann Keen: The Department does not hold this information.

Palliative Care

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amendments there have been to the Liverpool Care Pathway since its introduction in the NHS.

Ann Keen: The Department did not develop the Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) and is not responsible for its content. The LCP was developed by the Specialist Palliative Care Team at the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust and the Marie Curie Hospice, Liverpool. Although originally developed for the care of cancer patients in the acute environment, it has been adapted and disseminated across all care settings irrespective of diagnosis. The LCP is reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Patient Choice Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS hospitals use the Appointments Line service of Choose and Book; and what assessment the Government have made of the effectiveness of the Appointments Line.

Ben Bradshaw: The Appointments Line provides a booking service for patients in England referred via Choose and Book. This service is available for all patients who are referred via Choose and Book, where the hospital has a complaint Patient Administration System (PAS) thereby enabling a direct booking. Some 86 per cent. of hospitals are directly bookable.
	The Appointments Line is assessed monthly by commissioners against a range of performance indicators including Calls answered in 30 seconds, percentage of calls terminated with engaged tone, calls resulting in complaints. The service performs well against those targets and mechanisms are in place to apply financial deductions in the event of under performance.

Patient Choice Schemes

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the performance of the NHS Choose and Book service against its objectives; where and when the service has been implemented; what measures are in place to monitor its performance against objectives; and what plans he has for modification of the service.

Ben Bradshaw: The objective of Choose and Book is to support referrers in offering their patients a choice of a clinically appropriate provider when referring to hospital, and to enable patients to book appointments, electronically or by telephone, at a time and date that is convenient to them.
	Nationally, the Choose and Book electronic referral system has performed well since its launch in 2004. Local benchmarking suggests that when local configuration is correct Choose and Book is easy and convenient to use, and over the last 12 months the national system has been available for use over 99 per cent. of the time.
	All national health service hospitals are now using Choose and Book, along with 93 per cent. of general practitioner (GP) practices in England. There are now up to 28,000 bookings taking place every day, and 107,000 referrals every week. Over 10 million referrals having been made using the system.
	Choose and Book continues to become the everyday method of referral across the NHS. Around half of all GP referrals to first consultant out-patient appointments are going through Choose and Book, and the number of referrals to other services, including community based services and allied health professionals are increasing steadily.
	These utilisation measures are routinely tracked through a variety of performance monitoring processes. Most importantly, feedback from patients about Choose and Book is positive.
	The scope and design of future releases is informed by the results of consultation with users and other stakeholders, including patients. Following the successful delivery of Release 4.1, Choose and Book's next system upgrade, Release 4.2, is currently scheduled for mid-2009. This release will introduce new 'Finding Services Effectively' functionality, making it easier for referrers to search and select services.
	The latest Choose and Book software release was deployed successfully to users on 19 October 2008. Significant enhancements were made including improvements to rejected bookings, GP work lists, reports and a new alerts page with links to system and training information. The system was also greatly streamlined—with changes to attachment descriptions, full screen displays and Directory of Service screens making the system more intuitive.

Perinatal Mortality

Anne Milton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was allocated to research into stillbirth in 2007-08.

Ann Keen: The Department's Policy Research Programme(1) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) spent £2.2 million(2) in 2007-08 on research related to stillbirth.
	The Medical Research Council (MRC) is one of the main agencies through which the Government support medical and clinical research. The MRC spent £1.2 million in 2007-08 on research related to stillbirth. The MRC also funds several large cohort studies that include a stillbirth research component; and supports a large portfolio of underpinning reproductive medicine and paediatric research, much of which may be relevant to stillbirth.
	The Government fund the confidential inquiry into maternal and child health (CEMACH) which undertakes a confidential enquiry into the deaths of babies between 22 weeks of gestation and 28 days old. CEMACH publishes an annual report into perinatal mortality, including stillbirth, which records progress and identifies risk factors.
	(1) Via the National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit. The total financial allocation made to the unit in 2007-08 is included.
	(2 )This figure does not include the cost of projects undertaken in the NHS and supported by NIHR transitional support funding. That information is not available.

Pharmacy

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will meet the Dispensing Doctors Association to discuss the Pharmacy White Paper consultations.

Phil Hope: The Pharmacy White Paper "Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths - delivering the future" published on 3 April 2008 set out the Government's programme for taking forward national health service pharmaceutical services. The Department held a series of well-attended national events in May 2008 to hear views on the programme and its implementation, including ideas concerning dispensing doctors. A summary report of these events has been placed in the Library and was published on the Department's website on 27 August at:
	http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_083815
	In addition, the Department has also met various stakeholders, including members of the Dispensing Doctors Association (DDA), subsequent to publication to discuss areas in more detail, and would be happy to arrange further meetings with them.
	We are currently consulting, as promised in the White Paper. "Pharmacy in England: Building on Strengths - delivering the future - proposals for legislative change" was published on 27 August 2008 and a copy has already been placed in the Library. The consultation ends on 20 November 2008. This consultation is also supported by national listening events, which representatives of the DDA are attending in significant numbers.

Pregnancy: Young People

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 665W, on teenage pregnancy, when the memorandum of understanding was put in place; and when the first quarterly report on progress will be made;
	(2)  if he will audit the range of provision of contraception offered within in each primary care trust area.

Dawn Primarolo: The memorandum of understanding between the Department and strategic health authorities (SHAs) is currently being agreed and SHAs will be asked to report progress quarterly. The first report will be received in December 2008.
	Primary care trusts undertook a national baseline questionnaire of contraceptive services in 2006. The Department of Health document "Findings of the Baseline Review of Contraceptive Services" (2007) has already been placed in the Library.

Social Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the titles are of all internal reports his Department has produced on social care in the last six months.

Phil Hope: The Department does not routinely release briefing produced for Ministers.

Social Services: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people received local authority-funded long-term care services in  (a) their own homes and  (b) care homes in Eastbourne constituency in each year since the Fair Access to Care Services criteria were introduced.

Phil Hope: The information requested is only available for local authorities with adult social services responsibilities and not for parliamentary constituencies.
	The following table shows the number of adults aged 18 and over in East Sussex county council area receiving community based services within their own home and residential care from 2003, when the Fair Access to Care Services criteria were introduced, to 2008. All figures are inclusive of Eastbourne constituency.
	Community based services data for 2008 is provisional. Fully validated data will be published in February 2009.
	
		
			  Number of adults aged 18 and over receiving community based services and residential care in East Sussex, 2003 to 2008 
			  Rounded number 
			   As at 31 March 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Community based services(1) 9,540 (2)9,330 9,270 9,130 9,875 (3)10,065 
			 Residential care 3,785 3,660 3,420 3,390 3,475 3,550 
			 (1) Community based services include home care, day care, meals, overnight respite (not in the client's home), short term residential care (not respite), direct payments, professional support, equipment and adaptations and other community based care provided by the council. (2) Data on the number of people receiving community based services from 2004-05 is not comparable to previous years. In 2004-05 restated guidance was issued to exclude people receiving services from grant funded organisations who had not had a community care assessment. (3) Provisional data.  Source: RAP, Table P2s and SRI, Table S3

Upper Gastro-intestinal Cancer

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many upper gastro-intestinal cancer centres there are; what population is served by each; where they are located; and when each commenced admitting patients.

Ann Keen: There are currently 38 upper gastro-intestinal cancer centres serving patients in England.
	The following table provides a list of the centres, the relevant cancer network and the trusts covering the centres, as at 30 October 2008.
	Information on the population served by each centre and details of when each centre commenced activity is not available centrally.
	
		
			  Cancer network  Centre  Trust 
			 Lancashire and South Cumbria Preston Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Merseyside and Cheshire Royal Liverpool Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Aintree Aintree University Hospitals NHS Foundation 
			  North East Wales North East Wales NHS Trust 
			 North of England James Cook South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Newcastle/Carlisle(1) Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust/North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Humber and Yorkshire Coast Leeds Leeds Teaching Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Yorkshire Bradford Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Leeds Leeds Teaching hospitals NHS Trust 
			 North Trent Sheffield/ Doncaster(2) Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust/Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Foundation Trust 
			 East Midlands Derby Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			  Leicester University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust 
			  Nottingham Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Anglia Norfolk and Norwich Norfolk and Norwich university Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Addenbrookes Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Essex Mid Essex Mid Essex Services NHS Trust 
			 Mount Vernon Watford West Hertfordshire Hospital NHS Trust 
			 Arden Coventry University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust 
			 Pan Birmingham University Hospital Birmingham/ Heart of England(3) University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust/Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust 
			 North London University College London Hospital University College London Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 South East London Guy's and St Thomas' Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust 
			 South West London Royal Marsden Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust 
			 West London St Mary's Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 North East London Royal London Barts and the London NHS Trust 
			  Queen's Hospital Barking, Havering and Redbridge Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Central South Coast Southampton Southampton university Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Portsmouth Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Thames Valley Oxford Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust 
			  Royal Berkshire Royal Berkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Kent and Medway Maidstone Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust 
			 Surrey, West Sussex and Hampshire Royal Surrey Royal Surrey County Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Sussex Royal Sussex County Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust 
			 Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust 
			 Dorset Bournemouth Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 Three Counties Gloucestershire Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 
			 (1) There is a single multi-disciplinary team at Newcastle but operating at the Freeman and Carlisle Hospital. (2) There is a single multi-disciplinary team at Sheffield operating in both Sheffield and Doncaster on the basis of even flows to each site. (3) Operating as a joint centre on the basis of a single multi-disciplinary team with even flows to each site.

TREASURY

Bank Services: Overseas Residence

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether British citizens resident in the UK with deposits in Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander bank held in the Isle of Man will be included in his compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 16 October 2008
	 Arrangements for depositors in banks in the Isle of Man are a matter for the Government of the Isle of Man.
	Deposits with Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander, Isle of Man, will be subject to the Isle of Man Deposit Compensation Scheme.
	In line with usual constitutional arrangements, the Government will represent the Crown Dependencies in its negotiations with the Icelandic Authorities.

Bank Services: Small Businesses

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 28 October 2008,  Official Report, column 877W, on banking services: small businesses, whether the definition of a small business for the purposes of a claim on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme extends to  (a) individual company accounts and  (b) consolidated subsidising companies.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for making the rules of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), including the rules which determine whether a company or other body is eligible to claim compensation under the scheme. The rules on eligibility for FSCS compensation are set out in the FSA handbook which is available on the FSA website. Guidance on eligibility for FSCS compensation is available on the FSCS website.

Banking Supervision

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will instruct the non-executive appointees to the boards of banks in receipt of funding from the public purse to enforce a carbon audit of the investments made by their banks; and if he will make it a condition of recapitalisation of banks that they minimise their investments in and loans to projects involved with high levels of greenhouse gas emissions.

Ian Pearson: As part of its investment, the Government have agreed a range of commitments with banks accessing the capitalisation scheme. The conditions attached to the Government's recapitalisation scheme were set out in detail in the Chancellor's statements of 8 and 13 October.

Banks: Iceland

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reports he has received on developments in Icelandic public opinion on the UK following the entry into force of the Landsbanki Freezing Order 2008.

Ian Pearson: The Chancellor has been regularly updated on the situation in Iceland since the Landsbanki Freezing Order 2008 entered into force.

Banks: Iceland

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what briefing material his Department has circulated to hon. Members on the situation for British depositors with Icelandic-owned financial institutions; and what advice his Department has made available for hon. Members to pass on to their constituents who are such depositors.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Information for depositors is available on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and Directgov websites. The Treasury has also worked with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform to develop advice for business which is available on the Business Link website.

Banks: Land

Dai Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it a condition of British banks being in receipt of financial support from public funds that they permit the release of land being landbanked for early use for housebuilding.

Ian Pearson: As part of its investment, the Government have agreed a range of commitments with banks accessing the recapitalisation scheme. The conditions attached to the Government's recapitalisation scheme were set out in detail in the Chancellor's statements of 8 and 13 October.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what IT projects his Department and its agencies have been undertaking have been subject to Gateway review in the last 12 months; and what the outcome of each gateway review was.

Angela Eagle: The following IT projects, owned by HMT and its agencies, have been subject to Gateway reviews:
	
		
			  Department  Start Date  Name 
			 HMT 5 November 2007 HMT Group Corporate Services Programme 
			
			 HM Revenue and Customs 19 November 2007 Estates Consolidation Programme 
			  20 November 2007 Processing Pacesetter Programme 
			  3 December 2007 Government Banking Procurement Project 
			  28 January 2008 Government Banking Programme 
			  28 January 2008 New Penalties Project 
			  3 March 2008 Customs Service Transformation Programme (CSTP) 
			  10 March 2008 Enterprise Infrastructure Foundation Programme 
			  29 April 2008 C and E Programme 
			
			 HMT (OGC) 12 May 2008 Consultancy Services Framework. Now known as External Resources Framework 
			  12 May 2008 2011 Census Project 
			
			 HM Revenue and Customs 30 June 2008 Business.gov Programme 
			  15 September 2008 Excise Movement and Control Systems (EMCS) 
			  6 October 2008 Government Banking Procurement Project 
			  13 October 2008 New Penalties Project 
		
	
	An Office of Government Commerce Gateway™ Review is conducted on a confidential basis for the SRO (Senior Responsible Owner) and ownership of the report including its associated outcome rests with the SRO. This approach promotes an open and honest exchange between the programme/project and review teams delivering maximum added value. The OGC receives copies of review reports in order to identify and disseminate generic lessons learned.

Departmental Recruitment

Mark Hoban: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants in his Department were recruited through the fast stream; and what the average salary of those officials is.

Angela Eagle: Over the past 12 months, the Department has recruited a total of 19 civil servants through the fast stream. Information on the average salary is not available and would be provided only at disproportionate costs.

Economic Situation: International Co-operation

Ann Winterton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends that the proposed international conference to reshape the financial world order will have on its agenda changes to the mark to market rules.

Ian Pearson: The President of the United States has invited the leaders of the Group of 20 countries to a summit on 15 November to discuss financial markets and the global economy. Further details on the agenda for the conference can be found in a statement by the White House Press Secretary on 22 October.

Financial Services: Trade Competitiveness

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government is taking to maintain London's international competitiveness in financial services.

Ian Pearson: The Government continue to work to maintain and strengthen London's position as a world-leading financial centre, by working closely with industry leaders in various fora to examine the medium to longer-term global challenges to and opportunities for the UK's financial and professional services sector.

Fuels: Prices

Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is planning to take to alleviate the effects of increased costs of fuel on local authority budgets.

Angela Eagle: It was in response to sharp rises in world oil prices that the Chancellor decided to postpone the increase in fuel duty that was expected to take place on 1 October.

Housing: Valuation

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Beckenham of 9 October 2008,  Official Report, column 800W, on housing valuation, if he will place in the Library a copy of the multiple regression formula.

Stephen Timms: Multiple regression is a technique rather than a formula. There is no single multiple regression formula.

National Debt

Greg Hands: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what objectives have been set by his Department for the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt.

Ian Pearson: The statutory functions of the Commissioners for the Reduction of the National Debt (CRND) have been carried out within the United Kingdom Debt Management Office since July 2002. The CRND's main responsibility is the investment and management of Government funds. The Commissioners' powers and functions are laid down in the various parliamentary Acts relating to each individual fund and/or the publication of accounts.
	In relation to the exercise of its fund management role, the Debt Management Office/CRND has a published an objective
	"to develop and deliver its fund management responsibilities and in particular, to provide a cost-effective service for stakeholders".

Nationalisation

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on the status as public authorities for the purposes of the Human Rights Act 1998 of companies in temporary public ownership; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 23 October 2008
	Treasury Ministers have discussions with their ministerial colleagues and a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such discussions.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 594W, on non-domestic rates: ports, whether  (a) primary and  (b) secondary legislation is required to reverse the backdating of business rates on ports and shipping companies.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	In relation to the businesses within ports, backdated liability has arisen because of the operation of regulation 14 of the Non-Domestic Rating (Alteration of Lists and Appeals) (England) Regulations 2005 (SI 2005/659).
	This power does not give the valuation officer discretion over the effective date or the Secretary of State the power to intervene in individual cases and without an amendment to primary legislation, we are unable to amend regulation 14 in such a way that would enable the valuation officer to change the rating list entries.

Non-domestic Rates: Ports

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 7 October 2008,  Official Report, column 594W, on non-domestic rates: ports, if he will make it his policy to reverse the backdating of taxation on ports and shipping companies.

John Healey: I have been asked to reply.
	We do not believe it would be in the interests of fair competition or in line with the wider principles of taxation for business rates liabilities in ports to be waived. We are urgently exploring policy options for mitigating the financial impact on businesses facing immediate payment of such significant backdated liabilities.

Off Shore Banks

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's obligations are in respect of guarantees to depositors in off shore banks in  (a) UK dependent territories,  (b) UK overseas territories and  (c) Crown dependencies; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The Treasury has no obligations in respect of deposits with banks in UK dependent territories, UK overseas territories or the Crown dependencies.
	The Financial Services Compensation Scheme does not cover deposits with banks in UK dependent territories, UK overseas territories or the Crown dependencies. Deposits in these jurisdictions would be covered by any locally operated schemes.

Personal Savings: Protection

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government plan to guarantee the investments of individual savers in Icelandic banks if they are held in the subsidiary accounts of British banks based in  (a) Guernsey and  (b) the Isle of Man; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 20 October 2008
	 Arrangements for depositors in banks in the Isle of Man and Guernsey are a matter for the Governments of the Isle of Man and Guernsey. Deposits with Kaupthing, Singer and Friedlander, Isle of Man, will be subject to the Isle of Man Deposit Compensation Scheme.

Remittances

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the Government's estimate is of personal remittances to and from the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question asking what is the Government's estimate of personal remittances to and from the United Kingdom in each of the last ten years. (232168)
	ONS does not publish separate estimates for flows of personal remittances. Estimates of personal remittance flows to and from the United Kingdom are included in the UK Balance of Payments "Pink Book", table 5.1, within the published series for other receipts of and payments by households and non-profit institutions serving households (NPISH).
	There are components produced at a lower level than these published data, which broadly represent cross-border household to household transfers, and are therefore close, in concept, to personal remittances. However these estimates are highly uncertain which is why they are not published separately on a regular basis.
	ONS have estimated that remittances comprise at least 75% of the series published in the Pink Book for total payments and receipts by households and NPISH. The estimates for remittances, excluding the NPISH element, for each of the ten years are in the table below. However it should be stressed that these estimates are highly uncertain.
	
		
			  Personal remittances to and from the UK 1998-2007 
			  Remittances (£ billion) 
			   To the UK  From the UK 
			 1998 2.3 2.3 
			 1999 2.4 2.4 
			 2000 2.3 2.7 
			 2001 2.4 2.8 
			 2002 2.4 2.9 
			 2003 2.4 3.2 
			 2004 2.3 3.5 
			 2005 2.3 3.7 
			 2006 2.4 3.9 
			 2007 2.3 4.1

Taxation: Self-assessment

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will increase resources used to provide information to self-assessment taxpayers on the need for them to make timely tax returns; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Information on making timely tax returns is provided to taxpayers through a number of channels including direct mail, generation of press coverage and media advertising. The effectiveness of these communications is monitored and the resource involved kept under review.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Departmental Buildings

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East of 6 October 2008,  Official Report, column 299W, on departmental buildings, what the cost of the refurbishment was.

Sadiq Khan: The cost of the refurbishment was £146,475.

Departmental ICT

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what IT projects  (a) her Department and  (b) each of its agencies is undertaking; and what the most recent estimate of (i) the cost and (ii) the completion date of each is.

Sadiq Khan: The IT projects currently being undertaken by Communities and Local Government and its agencies are as follows:
	
		
			  Communities and Local Government (including regional co-ordination unit and Government offices in the regions) 
			  Project  Expected completion date  Estimated costs (£000) 
			 Website Rationalisation (incorporating Interlocal Rebuild project)(1) December 2008 3,600 
			 Fire Incident Recording System November 2008 3,040 
			 Data Interchange Hub Release 2 March 2009 1,273 
			 EDRMS November 2008 754 
			 SAP Implementing Benefits February 2009 364 
			 Smarter Business Process (SAP Enhancement) November 2008 362 
			 Business Intelligence System Technical Upgrade February 2009 351 
			 PIMS HR e-Strategy Implementation October 2008 287 
			 Government Offices National Indicator Analysis tool—scoping December 2008 62 
			 Government Offices Human Resources Database—Phase 2 March 2009 241 
			 Government Offices Online Performance Management System -Phase 2 March 2009 82 
			 Government Offices Contacts Database March 2009 40 
		
	
	 Agencies of the Department
	
		
			  Planning Inspectorate 
			  Project  Expected completion date  Estimated costs (£000) 
			 Fast Track Householder Appeals—Stage 2 (Implementation) May 2009 175 
			 Business Continuity Planning (BCP) and January 2009 and (2)142 
			 Disaster Recovery (DR) June 2009 (2)— 
			 Charging for Appeals April 2009 100 
		
	
	
		
			  QEII Conference Centre 
			  Project  Expected completion date  Estimated costs (£'000) 
			 Meeting Matrix October 2008 65 
		
	
	(1) A project to rebuild the Info41ocal website was approved in November 2004 at a cost of £244,000. The project was deferred for later incorporation into the Department's Website Rationalisation Project at a final cost of £400,000 on top of the £3,600,000 included above for web rationalisation.
	 Note:
	Estimated costs are the build costs only.

Eco-towns: Planning

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she intends to take following the comments of Mr. Justice Collins in his ruling relating to the Bard Campaign  v. the Secretary of State, that the Secretary of State may have disqualified herself from considering any planning applications for eco-towns because of perceived bias.

Margaret Beckett: Any planning decisions taken by the Secretary of State will be taken in line with the published guidance on planning propriety issues. We do not accept that the Secretary of State has disqualified herself from considering any planning applications for eco-towns.

Empty Property

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will take steps to mark the National Week of Action on Empty Homes.

Margaret Beckett: We shall continue to work closely with the independent Empty Homes Agency to encourage local authorities to tackle empty homes in their areas. We have introduced new powers to allow local authorities to take over the management of private sector empty homes (Empty Dwelling Management Orders) where a voluntary approach is not successful. We are supporting the Empty Homes Agency's new guidance on Empty Dwelling Management Orders, and Ministers will be providing a foreword to the guidance.

Local Authorities: Bank Services

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will place in the Library a copy of guidance issued by her Department on investments and deposits made by local authorities.

John Healey: A copy of CLG's investment guidance for local authorities has been placed in the Library.

London Thames Gateway Development Corporation

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) responsibilities are and  (b) budget is for the (i) London Thames Gateway Development Corporation and (ii) Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation.

Margaret Beckett: holding answer 4 November 2008
	The statutory purpose of the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation is to secure the regeneration of its area. The Department has allocated it a capital budget of £120 million and a revenue budget of £19 million over the three-year period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011.
	The purpose of the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation is to regenerate the borough of Thurrock. The Department has allocated it with a capital budget of £90 million over the three-year period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2011 and a revenue budget of £17.6 million over the same period.

Parish Councils

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the procedure is for a council in a village that forms part of a borough council area to apply for parish council status.

John Healey: The procedure for a village, or any other area, irrespective of whether it forms part of a borough is set out in part 4 of the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007. That procedure provides for local government electors for the area concerned to petition the principal council which, on receipt of a valid petition, must conduct a community governance review and decide, having regard to that review, whether or not to establish the parish.

Planning: Renewable Energy

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will review planning policy regulations to ensure that they facilitate the Government's objectives relating to small-scale renewable energy schemes and the protection of green belt land in a consistent manner.

Margaret Beckett: In our plan-led planning system, planning applications must be determined in accordance with the statutory development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The regional and local plans which form the statutory development plan should be consistent with the Government's objectives relating to small-scale renewable energy schemes and protecting green belts set out in national planning policies. Our Planning Policy Statement 22 on renewable energy makes it clear that the very special circumstances required to justify the grant of planning permission for inappropriate development in a green belt may include the wider environmental benefits associated with increased production of energy from renewable sources. Planning authorities have also been advised not to reject planning applications simply because the level of output is small.
	This summer's consultation on the Government's Renewable Energy Strategy (RES) has underlined the importance of a clear planning framework which provides as much certainty as possible on whether a project for renewable energy is likely to gain consent. The RES has acknowledged that with a rapidly evolving set of national policy and guidance affecting renewable energy projects, including the RES itself, it may not always be clear to local planning authorities, applicants and other users how elements of this framework come together in any given case. We have therefore said we will ensure our planning policies for renewable energy are updated quickly to reflect the new RES when in place next year.

Polytunnels: Planning Permission

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether polytunnels are considered temporary or permanent structures under the planning regime.

Margaret Beckett: Whether a structure is temporary or permanent will be for the local planning authority to determine. This will ultimately be a matter of fact and degree based on a number of factors, for example, its use, permanence and size.
	More generally, the status of polytunnels within the planning system was addressed in a letter the chief planner in Communities and Local Government sent to all local planning authorities on the issue of polytunnels on 25 July 2007. This is available at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/polytunnels

Regional Planning and Development

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to her Department's consultation on the review of sub-national economic development and regeneration, what the role of district councils in the regional planning process is; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett: The consultation on the review of sub national economic development and regeneration proposed that local authorities form a Leaders' Forum to work with the Regional Development Agency on regional strategy and that such a body should be representative for all local authorities in the respective region, including district councils. We intend to publish our response to that consultation shortly.

Regional Planning and Development

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what her Department's area-based initiatives are; and what budget has been established for each.

Sadiq Khan: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The Department's area-based initiative programmes and their current budgets are set out in the following table.
	These figures do not take account of the budgetary changes to be effected at the winter supplementary estimates which are due to be reported to the House and published by mid-November this year.
	
		
			  Programme  Budget at main estimates 2008-09 (£ million) 
			 Area-based Grants 637.5 
			 Market Renewal Pathfinders 381.0 
			 Growth Areas 258.0 
			 New Deal for Communities 245.6 
			 Thames Gateway 177.0 
			 Coalfields Regeneration Trusts 17.7

Regional Planning and Development

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what projects her Department funds through  (a) the Government Offices for the Regions and  (b) regional development agencies; and what the budget for each project for 2008-09 is.

Sadiq Khan: The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is directly administered by the Government offices and has a budget of £10.3 million at the main estimate 2008-09. This figure does not take account of budgetary changes to be effected at the winter supplementary estimates which are due to be published later this month.
	The ERDF budget is to cover possible insolvencies, irregularities and audit exposures in the 2000-06 programmes. Nothing has been written off to date.
	For the regional development agencies, I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave her on 4 November 2008,  Official Report, columns 345-46W.

Regional Planning and Development: Greenbelt

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which regional spatial strategies proposed the weakening of green belt protection in specific locations in the most recent drafts submitted to her Department.

Margaret Beckett: Regional spatial strategies (RSS) do not express any planning policies which refer to specific sites, they identify broad locations. Emerging RSSs are recommending green belt reviews as follows:
	 North E ast
	Policy 9.5 ensures that the green belt continues to safeguard the countryside from encroachment and check the unrestricted sprawl of Tyne and Wear. The supporting text notes that the general extent of the region's green belt should be maintained, rather than weakened, with detail boundaries to be defined in local development frameworks.
	 North W est
	Policy RDF4 indicates that there is no need for any exceptional substantial strategic change to the green belt before 2021 in Warrington and 2011 in the rest of the region. After 2011 there will be presumption against such change but strategic studies could indicate the need for change and indicate options for implementation, which would be fed into review of RSS.
	Policy RDF4 does allow for potential changes to the green belt of a more localised and detailed nature to be addressed through LDF process but only with agreement of the regional planning body. The policy confers such agreement on potential green belt changes associated with expansion of Manchester and Liverpool airports and a multi-model freight proposal at Newton le Willows.
	 Yorkshire and Humber
	RSS policy YH9 confirms that the extent of green belt should not change, but that green belt round York needs defining. Specific mention is also made of a potential need for strategic review of the West Yorkshire green belt, which extends into Leeds, Wakefield, Calderdale and Kirklees.
	 West  M idlands
	The west midlands regional spatial strategy Phase 2 revision Preferred Option identifies the need for the release of green belt round Coventry and Redditch which will be considered by an independent panel at the Examination in Public next year.
	 East  M idlands
	In their report on the Draft East Midlands RSS the independent panel recommended that the Nottingham-Derby green belt
	"should be recast so as to provide a separation between Nottingham and Derby without surrounding the city of Nottingham."
	In the Proposed Changes, issued for consultation in July 2008, the Secretary of State disagreed with the panel's recommendation. Instead the principle of Nottingham-Derby green belt was reaffirmed, and it was not accepted that sufficient evidence had been advanced to justify the wholesale deletion of the green belt elsewhere as recommended by the panel.
	 East of England
	The published RSS, issued in may, says there should be a local review of green belt in Broxbourne, and that strategic reviews of green belt boundaries to meet regional development needs are needed in:
	Stevenage, including land in North Hertfordshire;
	Hemel Hempstead, involving land in Dacorum and probably St. Albans District;
	Harlow, including land in East Hertfordshire and Epping Forest;
	Welwyn/Hatfield, potentially including land in St Albans District; and
	Luton/ Dunstable/Houghton Regis and Leighton Linslade.
	 South E ast
	The current regional plan (2001) does not seek to review any green belt. The Government's Proposed Changes to its draft replacement (the South East Plan) include proposals for selective green belt release at Oxford and Guildford, and possibly south of Woking. Where reviews result in the loss of green belt land the draft states that a broader review should be considered to determine whether additional land should be designated. The Secretary of State is working to finalise the plan by early next year.
	 South W est
	Following consideration of the recommendations of the independent panel that considered the draft RSS, the Secretary of State published her proposed changes to the RSS in July 2008. These include proposals to revise the general extent of the Bristol and Bath, Gloucester and Cheltenham and South East Dorset green belts to accommodate urban extensions as part of the most sustainable solution for delivering housing and other development. Changes are also proposed to the general extent of the Bristol and Bath green belt to provide for regionally significant development at Bristol International airport and the Port of Bristol, and to the south-east Dorset green belt to provide for development at Bournemouth airport. The Proposed Changes are currently the subject of public consultation; which ends on 24 October 2008.
	 London
	The published London Plan, February 2008 (consolidated with alterations since 2004), does not propose any changes to the London green belt.

Voluntary Organisations: Manchester

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding her Department and its agencies have given to  (a) the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations,  (b) Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Support and  (c) Greater Manchester Voluntary Sector Learning Consortium in the last 24 months.

Sadiq Khan: The Department paid £3,000 to the Greater Manchester Centre for Voluntary Organisations in February 2007.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Child Support

Tony Lloyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the transfer of Child Support Agency cases to the 2003 maintenance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Kitty Ussher: The new Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act sets out the new arrangements for child maintenance, driven by our commitment to extend choice and tackle child poverty.
	We expect the new gross income statutory maintenance scheme to be introduced in 2011 and then all clients will be able to choose to either apply to the new gross income scheme or make a private arrangement. It is currently planned that this process will take around three years. We will therefore not be transferring cases from the original child maintenance scheme to the current scheme introduced by the reforms in 2003.
	Instead from 27 October 2008 we will extend choice to all parents to allow them to agree appropriate arrangements between themselves including moving into voluntary maintenance arrangements.

Departmental Training

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what personal training courses at public expense he has undertaken since his appointment.

James Purnell: The Secretary of State has not undertaken any personal training courses at public expense since his appointment.

Dorneywood

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the right hon. Member for Horsham of 19 June 2008,  Official Report, column 1187W, on Dorneywood: official hospitality, what use his Department has made of Dorneywood for official engagements in the last 12 months.

James Purnell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Watson) on 20 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 90-91W.

Fuel Poverty: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) households and  (b) pensioner households he estimates are in fuel poverty in York; how many there were in York in 1996-97; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	The most recent year for which sub-national estimates of fuel poverty are available is 2003. The data for fuel poverty levels for 2003 come from the Fuel Poverty Indicator dataset, available online at
	http://www.fuelpovertyindicator.org.uk/.
	In 2003, there were around 4,600 households in the local authority of York living in fuel poverty (6 per cent. of all households). The data are not split by type of household.
	There is no consistent source of data available for sub-regional estimates of fuel poverty for 1996-97.

Incapacity Benefit: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what percentage of the working-age population in West Chelmsford constituency received incapacity benefit in  (a) June 2001,  (b) May 2005 and  (c) the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: I will let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.

Maternity Benefits

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total monetary value was of unprocessed maternity allowance claims at the end of each quarter in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The information is not available.

Pension Credit

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) the UK received pension credit in each year since its inception.

Rosie Winterton: The information requested is in the following tables.
	
		
			  Number of household recipients and individual beneficiaries of pension credit in Jarrow, South Tyneside, the North East and Great Britain—2003-08 
			   Jarrow constituency  South Tyneside local authority 
			   Household recipients  Individual beneficiaries  Household recipients  Individual beneficiaries 
			 November 2003 4,640 5,630 9,060 10,890 
			 February 2004 4,980 6,070 9,660 11,670 
			 February 2005 5,760 7,100 11,150 13,600 
			 February 2006 5,870 7,270 11,380 13,930 
			 February 2007 5,880 7,260 11,350 13,890 
			 February 2008 5,890 7,270 11,200 13,700 
		
	
	
		
			   North East (GOR)  Great Britain 
			   Household recipients  I ndividual beneficiaries  Household recipients  Individual beneficiaries 
			 November 2003 124,280 150,050 2,084,700 2,495,240 
			 February 2004 135,940 165,540 2,282,290 2,754,900 
			 February 2005 155,420 190,750 2,654,670 3,227,590 
			 February 2006 157,420 193,740 2,709,220 3,305,120 
			 February 2007 157,600 194,220 2,730,940 3,335,010 
			 February 2008 156,460 192,840 2,723,140 3,324,230 
			  Notes: 1. Case loads are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Household recipients are those people who claim pension credit either for themselves only or on behalf of a household. 3. Individual beneficiaries includes both claimants and their partners.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100 per cent. data

Pension Credit

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what the average take-up rate of pension credit was by those over 70 years old in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what the average take-up rate of pension credit was by those between the ages of 65 and 70 years in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(3)  what proportion of pensioners eligible for means tested benefit support did not claim their full entitlement in each of the last 10 years.

Rosie Winterton: The latest estimates of take-up of means-tested benefits in Great Britain, covering income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income based) are published in the report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2006-07". Earlier reports with estimates of take-up on income related benefits are available from 1990 onwards.
	Pension credit take-up estimates are not available by age group.
	It is not possible to construct a robust estimate of the proportion of pensioners eligible but not receiving all their possible means tested benefit support.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what procedure is followed when a claimant presents him or herself at a  (a) personal capacity assessment and  (b) work capability assessment but is not in a fit state to be assessed due to intoxication.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Where a claimant is not in a fit state to be assessed for a personal capability assessment or a work capability assessment the relevant papers are returned to Jobcentre Plus by Medical Services to decide whether benefit is to be disallowed or whether a further assessment is to be arranged. Decisions are made taking into account the medical condition of the claimant and any other relevant factors. Where benefit is disallowed the claimant can request a reconsideration of the decision or appeal to an independent tribunal.

Working Tax Credit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department is taking to increase the uptake of the child-care element of working tax credit.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	The application and award process for the child care element is integrated with the rest of the tax credits system. This makes it as simple as possible for families who need help with their child care costs to claim and receive support. The child care element is promoted as part of the tax credits system, which has a higher level of take-up than any previous system of income-related financial support.
	One example of steps to increase take-up of tax credits is the initiative, announced in Budget 2008, to offer tax credits advice to families with young children through children's centres.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Departmental Lost Property

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what  (a) equipment and  (b) data was lost by the Government Equalities Office in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: Since its establishment on 12 October 2007 the Government Equalities Office has lost one laptop. The laptop was new and unused and therefore did not contain any data. No other losses of data have been reported.

Females: Crimes of Violence

Roger Williams: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many women were victims of  (a) rape,  (b) domestic violence,  (c) forced marriage,  (d) sexual exploitation and  (e) trafficking in each of the last three years, broken down by (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) police force area.

Maria Eagle: Data on these crimes are collected in a number of ways. Where appropriate the Government do hold data on the number of recorded offences made to the police by women. However, these data are not broken down by parliamentary constituency.
	 Rape:
	The following table provides a breakdown by police force area for recorded offences of rape of a female for the last three years:
	
		
			  Recorded offences of rape of a female by police force area 
			   Number of offences 
			  Police force area  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Avon and Somerset 295 393 352 
			 Bedfordshire 188 141 106 
			 British Transport Police 17 16 14 
			 Cambridgeshire 193 193 198 
			 Cheshire 165 150 140 
			 Cleveland 158 125 130 
			 Cumbria 73 63 78 
			 Derbyshire 253 253 217 
			 Devon and Cornwall 361 355 360 
			 Dorset 166 115 192 
			 Durham 129 76 117 
			 Dyfed-Powys 79 92 66 
			 Essex 352 324 264 
			 Gloucestershire 145 150 130 
			 Greater Manchester 769 767 712 
			 Gwent 112 132 164 
			 Hampshire 618 592 549 
			 Hertfordshire 197 179 163 
			 Humberside 323 264 237 
			 Kent 413 368 379 
			 Lancashire 299 257 232 
			 Leicestershire 287 275 315 
			 Lincolnshire 169 147 154 
			 London, City of 5 8 3 
			 Merseyside 356 274 231 
			 Metropolitan Police 2,249 2,144 1,792 
			 Norfolk 209 147 128 
			 Northamptonshire 152 147 138 
			 Northumbria 325 307 232 
			 North Wales 156 99 142 
			 North Yorkshire 134 128 121 
			 Nottinghamshire 236 223 209 
			 South Wales 193 240 232 
			 South Yorkshire 294 241 219 
			 Staffordshire 267 265 224 
			 Suffolk 192 161 151 
			 Surrey 135 134 144 
			 Sussex 399 413 293 
			 Thames Valley 425 411 356 
			 Warwickshire 75 93 96 
			 West Mercia 212 208 229 
			 West Midlands 856 834 748 
			 West Yorkshire 558 579 563 
			 Wiltshire 138 141 128 
			 England and Wales 13,327 12,624 11,648 
		
	
	 Domestic violence:
	The Government collect domestic violence data purely for police performance measurements purposes. Published domestic violence arrest rates for 2006-07 and 2005-06 by police force area can be found at
	http://police.homeoffice.gov.uk/performance-and-measurement/performance-assessment/.
	The domestic violence figures for 2007-08 by police force area will be published shortly on the Home Office website, as part of the release of information relating to police performance 2007-08.
	 Forced marriage:
	The forced marriage unit have been keeping statistics on reportings of forced marriage since January 2008. It is not possible to provide a breakdown by police force area for this crime. Between January and September 2008 the forced marriage unit has handled 1,180 incidents of forced marriage or potential forced marriage.
	 Sexual exploitation and trafficking:
	The Government do not hold figures on how many women were the victims of sexual exploitation or trafficking. The Government have delivered two national enforcement campaigns against trafficking for sexual exploitation, involving all 55 police forces. During Operation Pentameter 1, 88 victims of trafficking were recovered, and during Operation Pentameter 2, this number was doubled to 167 (13 of whom were children).

Working Mothers

Theresa May: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality how many women with a child under the age of five returned to work in each month in the last two years.

Kevin Brennan: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated November 2008:
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question on how many women with a child under the age of five have returned to work in each month in the last two years. (228906)
	Statistics on women who have returned to work in each month is not available. The Labour Force Survey (LFS), however, does collect data on employment circumstances twelve months ago for those aged 16 and over.
	It is estimated that in April - June 2008, 209 thousand women aged 16 and over in employment with a child aged under 5 were not in employment twelve months previously.
	The estimate is derived from the LFS using the latest data available (April-June 2008). As with any sample survey, estimates from the LFS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. In sampling error terms the above estimate is considered to be reasonably precise as the coefficient of variation (CV) lies between 5 and 10 per cent. The CV indicates the quality of the estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality.
	The estimates in the tables are derived from the LFS microdata weighted to estimates published in 2007. They are not entirely consistent with figures published in the monthly Labour Market Statistics First Release, which are weighted using more up to date population estimates.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the number of new apprenticeships that will need to be created in each of the next five years in order to reach the target of ensuring that an apprenticeship place is available for all young people by 2013; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Information on apprenticeships starts are due to be made available next month through the Annual Statement of Priorities published by the Learning and Skills Council. This will include latest estimates of the actual starts for the 2007/08 academic year, and proposals for delivery during 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11. Resources have not yet been made available beyond that period.
	World-class Apprenticeships, published earlier this year, confirmed our commitment to making Apprenticeships a high quality option for both young people and adults and set out steps to increase the numbers of people successfully completing an Apprenticeship. In the summer, we published an Apprenticeships Draft Bill to drive and help sustain improvements in the quality of the programme. The first national vacancy matching service for potential apprentices and employers will begin to become operational by the end of this year and in April 2009 the new National Apprenticeship Service with its dedicated field force will be fully established to lead the expansion and improvement of the apprenticeship programme. This focus on continuous improvement will be complemented by an increase in Apprenticeships funding to over 1.1 billion by 2010-11.

Apprentices

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department and each of its predecessors spent on apprenticeship schemes in each year since 1997.

Si�n Simon: Figures showing expenditure for 1997-98 to 2000-01 and for 2001-02 to 2007-08 appear in the following tables.
	In the period from 1997-98 to 2000-01 apprenticeships were funded through training and enterprise councils. For this period, figures are available for overall work-based training for young people budget expenditure only, including: Advanced Apprenticeships (formerly Advanced Modern Apprenticeships) at Level 3; Apprenticeships (formerly Foundation Modern Apprenticeships) at Level 2; NVQ Learning (formerly Other Training); and Entry to Employment.
	From 2001-02 to date apprenticeships have been funded and delivered by the Learning and Skills Council.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship Expenditure 2001-02 to 2007-08 
			   million 
			 2001-02 628 
			 2002-03 743 
			 2003-04 778 
			 2004-05 858 
			 2005-06 824 
			 2006-07 805 
			 2007-08 833 
			  Sources:  LSC Annual Report and Accounts 
		
	
	
		
			  Work-based training for young people( 1)  Expenditure 1997-98 to 2000-01 
			   million 
			 1997-98 740 
			 1998-99 712 
			 1999-2000 800 
			 2000-01 837 
			 (1) Work-based Training for Young People includes: Advanced Apprenticeships (formerly Advanced Modern Apprenticeships) at Level 3; Apprenticeships (formerly Foundation Modern Apprenticeships) at Level 2; NVQ Learning (formerly Other Training); and Entry to Employment.  Source: 1997-98: DFEE Departmental Report 1998-99 to 2000-01: DFES Departmental Reports

Apprentices

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department spent on apprenticeships in  (a) the most recent year for which figures are available and  (b) in each of the previous five years, broken down by main budget heading.

Si�n Simon: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) publish details of the total spend on Apprenticeships in the LSC's annual report and accounts. The total spend in the most recent financial year and the previous five years broken down by budget block are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Analysis of apprenticeship expenditure by budget block 
			  000 
			   2007-08  2006-07  2005-06  2004-05  2003-04  2002-03 
			  Grant letter: block Aparticipation   
			
			  Youth participation   
			 16 to 18 apprenticeships 603,524 587,732 592,484 615,001 565,260 532,052 
			 Total youth participation 603,524 587,732 592,484 615,001 565,260 532,052 
			
			  Employer responsive   
			 19+ apprenticeships 223,175 216,884 232,157 243,162 212,807 211,112 
			 25+ apprenticeships 5,719 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Total employer responsive 228,894 216,884 232,157 243,162 212,807 211,112 
			
			 Total apprenticeships 832,418 804,616 824,641 858,163 778,067 743,164 
			  Source: LSC Statutory accounts

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

John Redwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what sanctions are available in cases of departmental staff found to have committed disciplinary offences; and how many times each has been used in each of the last three years.

Si�n Simon: The Department was formed on 28 June 2007. The Department has three categories of misconduct that could result in disciplinary sanctions being applied:
	
		
			  Category  Offence  Sanction 
			 Minor misconduct Behaviour that is unacceptable but not serious enough to fall into other categories Oral or written warning 
			 Serious misconduct Behaviour that damages the relationship between the individual and their employer Range of measures from written warning to removal from a specific post. 
			 Gross misconduct Behaviour that so damages the relationship it would normally be incompatible with continued employment Dismissal 
		
	
	From the 28 June 2007 to date, there have been no disciplinary offences in any category.

Departmental Liability

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills on what dates in each of the last five years his Department informed the House of the creation of contingent liabilities relating to his Department or its non-departmental public bodies.

Si�n Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created by Machinery of Government Changes at the end of June 2007. Since that date, DIUS has not had any new contingent liabilities. The Department's Resource Accounts were laid before the House on 21 July 2008 disclosing the latest position on contingent liabilities for the DIUS Department. Prior to this date, contingent liabilities were notified to Parliament by returns submitted by our predecessor Departmentsthe Department for Education and Skills (now the Department for Children, Schools and Families) and the Department of Trade and Industry (now the Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform), who would hold details of the dates these were laid.
	Details of contingent liabilities relating to the Department's non-departmental public bodies will be similarly published in their annual resource accounts.

Departmental Training

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department spent on external training courses for departmental staff in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008; and which external organisations were paid by the Department to provide such courses in each year.

Si�n Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of machinery of government changes in June 2007. Information on how much was spent on external training courses prior to this date is not held by the Department. In 2007-08 the Department spent 446,000 on external training providers. These providers included:
	2gc Active Management Limited
	Aksaa Ltd.
	Angela Argenzio
	Ask Europe Plc
	Association of Certified Fraud Examiners UK Chapter
	CET Rivington
	Campaign For Learning
	Central Office Of Information
	Centre For Public Policy Seminar
	Church House Conference Centre Limited
	CIMA
	Claire Gonnet
	Communicaid Group Limited
	East Of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
	England Athletics
	Happy Computers
	Hay Group
	Hemsley Fraser Group Ltd.
	HMRC
	Integral Human Resource Cons Ltd.
	Julie Allan Ltd.
	Leadership Skills Training Ltd.
	LSE
	M D P Limited
	Marketforce Communications Limited
	Mercure St. Pauls Hotel
	National Centre For Social Research
	National School For Government
	Operational Research Society
	Parity Training Ltd.
	PTS Consortium
	Rachel Frost Ltd.
	Sheffield Hallam University
	Society For Editors
	SPSS (UK) Ltd.
	St. Marys Church A/C
	TFPL Ltd.
	The City Lit
	The Higher Education Academy
	The Open University
	The RSS PDC
	The School Of Coaching
	The University of Essex
	The University of Sheffield
	Transmedia Communications Limited
	University of Durham
	University of Manchester
	University of Southampton
	University of Warwick
	UPH
	Verve Venues
	Voluntary Action Sheffield
	Walking With Leaders Ltd.
	Warwick University Training Ltd.
	Westminster Explained
	Whitehall and Industry Group
	The National Weights and Measures Laboratory (NWML) spent the following on external training courses:
	
		
			   Spent on external training courses () 
			 2005-06 22,000.00 
			 2006-07 20,000.00 
			 2007-08 51,000.00 
		
	
	The following external training providers were used:
	BSI British Standards Institution
	Business Training Direct
	Capital Quality Ltd.
	CIPFA
	Ellis Ford Associates
	Environment Agency
	ERA Technology Ltd.
	Fire Safety Training Limited
	Insight Consulting
	Learning Tree International
	Legal Metrology Consultancy Service
	Managing for Quality Limited
	Marketforce Communications Ltd.
	Mentor FLT Training Ltd.
	Muirland Services Limited
	The Murray School of Cookery
	National School of Government
	National Physical Laboratory
	PG Personnel and IT Training
	PTS Consortium
	Reed Learning Plc
	Richmond AC College
	RRC Business Training
	Sapphire Systems plc
	St. John Ambulance
	Thomson Subscriptions
	Tower Software UK Ltd.
	Trading Standards Institute
	Trading Standards South East Ltd.
	UK Weighing Federation
	VAT Liaison
	West Sussex county council
	The UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) spent the following on external training courses (figures rounded to nearest 1,000):
	
		
			   Spent on external training courses () 
			 2005-06 453,000 
			 2006-07 487,000 
			 2007-08 538,000 
		
	
	Figures include amounts paid in respect of training materials and external training venues.
	The following external training providers were used:
	Activity Information Management Ltd.
	Advanced Workplace Associates
	Anti-Counterfeiting Group
	Ark Conferences Ltd.
	Aston University
	Barefoot Ceramics Ltd.
	Bespoke Speechwriting Services Ltd.
	British Institute of Facilities Management Ltd.
	British Red Cross
	British Standards Institution
	Bryan Boon Management Training
	Business in the Community
	Business Language Services Ltd.
	Business Systems Group
	Butler Direct Ltd.
	C5
	Capita Business Services Ltd.
	Cardiff Council
	Cardiff University
	CEDR
	Certitec Ltd.
	City and Guilds Institute
	Coleg Gwent
	Common Purpose UK
	Computeraid Ltd.
	CQ Consultancy
	Croydon Coaches Ltd.
	Dearden Studios
	Department For Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
	Development Partnership
	Dyslexia Action
	E Academy Ltd.
	Ecom Learning Solutions Ltd.
	ECTA 2008
	Elliott Training Ltd.
	EMC Computer Systems (UK) Ltd.
	Enterprise North East Trust
	European Patent Office
	F1 Computing Systems Ltd.
	First Europe Ltd.
	GBdirect
	Get Out Go Country
	GovNet Communications
	Harvard Business School
	Hawksmere Ltd.
	Hyatt Regency Birmingham
	Ideafreaks Ltd.
	Ilex Tutorial College Ltd.
	ILX Group plc
	Impact Factory Training
	Informa (UK) Ltd.
	Institute of Welsh Affairs
	Intellectual Property Institute
	Ivy Learning Services Ltd.
	JB International Consultants Ltd.
	Key Consultancy Ltd.
	Lancashire Police Authority
	Learning Tree International Ltd.
	Lester Hotels (Usk) Ltd. T/As Cwrt Bleddyn Hotel and Spa
	LogicaCMG UK Ltd.
	LRQA Limited
	MEGA International Ltd.
	Mitie Facilities Services Ltd.
	Newport City Council
	Noble Training Solutions
	Now You're Talking Business
	Now-C-Change
	Open University
	ORC International Ltd.
	P Starr
	PA Promotions Ltd.
	Palladium Training and Consultancy
	Parity Training Ltd.
	Penna plc
	Perpetual Solutions
	Personnel and Personal Training Services Ltd.
	Posturite (UK) Ltd.
	Prince's Trust
	Public Service Partnership Ltd.
	QA-IQ Ltd.
	Quadrilect Ltd.
	RADA Enterprise
	RISC
	Roffey Park Institute Ltd.
	S Smart T/A Smart Move
	Saville Audio Visual
	Siemens Enterprise Communications Ltd.
	Skillpath Seminars
	Spearhead Training Group
	SQS Group Ltd.
	Stanton Marris
	Synergy:TS Ltd.
	Ten Alps Communications Ltd.
	TFPL Ltd.
	Theatre and Ltd.
	Thomas Carroll Management Services Ltd.
	Torfaen County Borough Council
	Trading Standards Institute
	TSL Education Ltd.
	UNICO Commercial Projects Ltd.
	University of Glamorgan
	University of Wales Newport
	Veolia Transport Cymru T/As Bebb Travel Plc
	Verhoef Training Ltd.
	Welsh Assembly Government
	Whitehall and Industry Group
	World Trade Group Limited
	External training providers aforementioned include those suppliers external to the government body concerned but not necessarily external to Government itself.

Gamburtsev Mountains: Research

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what  (a) support and  (b) funding the Government has provided for the probe of the Gamburtsev sub-glacial mountains.

David Lammy: The Antarctica Gamburtsev Province Project (AGAP) is a flagship International Polar Year (IPY) project and involves a research consortium of six nations, including the UK. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS), a component research institute of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) which is funded through the Science and Research Budget, is playing a leading role in AGAP and providing the UK's contribution. The principal objective of the project is to undertake the first airborne geophysical survey of the Gamburtsev subglacial mountains in east Antarctica.
	 (a) During the 2008-09 season, BAS is providing a team of 10 scientists, engineers and support crew comprising 16 per cent. of the AGAP staff in Antarctica. Two of the BAS aircraft will also support the project, flying 450 aircraft hours.
	 (b) In addition, BAS has allocated 250,000 from its core budget to pay for flight testing, specialist equipment, field support and the post-survey data analysis over the next three years, so as to enable AGAP to go ahead.
	BAS has also assisted with international technology transfer for AGAP and provided US science collaborators with the engineering expertise needed to develop the suite of airborne survey instrumentation being used on their aircraft.

Greater Manchester

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much funding  (a) his Department and its predecessor and  (b) his Department's agencies have given to (i) Manchester is my Planet and (ii) Manchester: Knowledge Capital in the last 24 months.

Si�n Simon: The Department and its predecessors and agencies have not given any funding to (i) Manchester is my Planet and (ii) Manchester: Knowledge Capital in the last 24 months.

Higher Education: Admissions

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what proportion of 17 to 20 year olds with  (a) A levels,  (b) ACVEs,  (c) BTEC Level 3,  (d) other vocational Level 3 qualifications and  (e) advanced apprenticeships entered (i) part-time first degrees and (ii) part-time other undergraduate qualifications in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Si�n Simon: The proportion of pupils who gained one or more GCE A-levels in 2003/04, who entered a part-time first degree course at a UK higher education institution aged 18 in 2004/05 or aged 19 in 2005/06, was 0.9 per cent. The proportion who entered a part-time other undergraduate course was 0.6 per cent. In total, 1.5 per cent. entered part-time undergraduate courses.
	The proportion of pupils who gained one or more VCE A-levels in 2003/04, who entered a part-time first degree course at a UK higher education institution aged 18 in 2004/05 or aged 19 in 2005/06, was 1.0 per cent. The proportion who entered a part-time other undergraduate course was 0.8 per cent. In total, 1.9 per cent. entered part time undergraduate courses.
	Information is not held centrally on the proportion of pupils with BTEC Level 3, vocational qualifications other than VCE A-levels, or Advanced Apprenticeships, who have entered higher education. The data required to determine progression rates to higher education by age 20 are not currently held by DIUS.
	 Note
	Due to rounding, components may not sum to totals.
	 Source
	For figures: Linked NPD dataset.

Higher Education: Business

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what estimate he has made of the overall level of co-funding by  (a) employers and  (b) individuals for part-time undergraduate qualifications in relation to  (a) first degrees and  (b) other undergraduate qualifications.

David Lammy: A 2004 study for the former DFES looked at various sources contributing to how part-time HE students' fees were paid. It estimated that 36 per cent. of all part-time students had the whole fee paid by their employer. The remainder paid their fees themselves, or with help from family and friends, financial assistance schemes, employers or other sources. This report is available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR600.pdf.
	A smaller 2006 study for universities UK found that three in five part-time students paid for some of the fees themselves, with 35 per cent. getting financial support from their employer. This is available at
	http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/Publications/Bookshop/Documents/parttime_strand3.pdf
	The Government are supporting a new form of flexible higher education co-funded by employers, and has set the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) a target of supporting 5,000 new co-funded entrants in 2008-09. To date, HEFCE has agreed proposals to deliver around 8,000 places for 2008-09.

Higher Education: Gifts and Endowments

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what information he holds on the  (a) value and  (b) change in value of university endowments in each of the last five years, broken down by  (a) donations,  (b) surplus transfers,  (c) match funding,  (d) realised asset sales and  (e) unrealised capital gains.

David Lammy: It is not possible to answer this question precisely from the data which are currently collected centrally. The following table sets out the information we hold on the overall income English higher education institutions have generated in each of the last five years from endowments. In August, we launched a 200 million matched funding scheme over three years to promote more philanthropic donations to higher education.
	We shall be working closely with institutions and discussing what data should be captured in future to enable us to quantify progress being made in diversifying the range of funding streams available to higher education providers.
	
		
			  Total level of income from endowments for English Higher Education Institutions 
			   million 
			 2002-03 192 
			 2003-04 197 
			 2004-05 254 
			 2005-06 289 
			 2007-08 326

Higher Education: Research

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills following the conclusions of the Wakeham review of Physics, which subject area will be the next to be covered in the series of reviews into the health of key research disciplines.

David Lammy: The subject area for the next health of disciplines review will be finalised by Research Councils UK (RCUK) following a 'lessons-learnt' exercise on the Physics review, which is currently being conducted. I understand that RCUK expect to announce confirmation of the timing and topic of the next health of disciplines review in spring 2009.

Learning and Skills Councils

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what the  (a) office locations and  (b) 2009-10 budgets, of each of the regional councils of the Learning and Skills Council are.

Si�n Simon: The office locations of the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) national office and regional councils are set out in the following table. The total budget for the LSC is set out in the Secretary of State's annual Grant Letter. The budget for 2008-09 is 11.590 billion. The 2009-10 budget will be allocated in the 2009-10 Grant Letter shortly. The latest published information about regional programme expenditure was set out in the LSC's annual report and accounts for 2007-08 and is provided in the table:
	
		
			  Office  Location  2007-08 Regional programme spend (000) 
			 National office Coventry and London  
			 East of England Ipswich 1,068,596 
			 East midlands Leicester 930,280 
			 Greater London London 1,857,877 
			 North-east Gateshead 666,993 
			 North-west Manchester 1,577,542 
			 South-east Brighton and Reading 1,660,131 
			 South-west Bristol 1,038,498 
			 West midlands Birmingham 1,331,930 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Bradford 1,097,161

Physics: Higher Education

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Huntingdon of 23 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 551-2W, on physics: higher education, what the figures provided in the answer would be if expressed in real terms in 2008-09 prices.

David Lammy: The response given to the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Djanogly) on 23 October 2008,  Official Report, columns 551-52W, provided figures for quality related research funding for physics paid by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). These figures, re-based to 2008-09 values, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Academic year   million 
			 1998-99 44.7 
			 1999-2000 47.4 
			 2000-01 47.5 
			 2001-02 46.5 
			 2002-03 45.8 
			 2003-04 51.4 
			 2004-05 53.0 
			 2005-06 60.9 
			 2006-07 63.2 
			 2007-08 65.0 
			 2008-09 63.5 
		
	
	Research Council expenditure in university physics departmentsrebased to 2008-09 valuesis as follows:
	
		
			million 
			 2001/02 369.11 
			 2002/03 376.80 
			 2003/04 395.33 
			 2004/05 447.88 
			 2005/06 463.41 
			 2006/07 470.38 
		
	
	All figures have been converted to real 2008/09 terms using the HM Treasury GDP deflator. The GDP deflator for financial year 2008/09 is not yet known so the official estimate from the HM Treasury Budget report 2008 has been used.

Plain English

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much has been spent by his Department on Plain English Campaign training courses for its staff in each year since 2005.

Si�n Simon: The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills was created as a result of Machinery of Government changes in June 2007. Information on how much has been spent by the Department on Plain English Campaign training courses for its staff in each year prior to this date is not held by the Department.
	Our financial records indicate that the Department did not spend any money in 2007-08 on Pain English Campaign training courses for its staff.

Research

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what targets his Department has set to  (a) improve the international performance of the UK research base and  (b) increase the overall innovation performance of the UK economy.

David Lammy: The Government published the delivery agreement for its public service agreement for world class science and innovation alongside the comprehensive spending review in 2007. This sets out the Government's objectives over the three year period from 2008-09 to 2010-11. Alongside other indicators by which progress will be measured, the public service agreement includes ambitions to maintain and improve  (a) the percentage share of UK citations in leading scientific journals; and  (b) the percentage of UK businesses with 10 or more employees that are innovation active.

Science and Innovation Framework

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when the annual review on the Science and Innovation Framework will be published.

David Lammy: The fourth annual report on the 10-year Science and Innovation Investment Framework will be published later in the year alongside the first Annual Innovation Report.

Students: Loans

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people in  (a) West Chelmsford constituency and  (b) the Chelmsford local authority area are repaying student loans.

David Lammy: Reliable information on repayments made by borrowers is not available at the level requested. The repayment of income contingent student loans begins from the April after a student graduates or leaves full-time study and earns over 15,000 a year. Repayments are made through the UK tax system either by employers through the PAYE system or through the self assessment returns at 9 per cent. of income above the threshold. Borrowers with the older mortgage style loans make repayments through agreed monthly direct debits when income is above 8 per cent. of average national average earnings (25,936 in 2008-09).

UfI: Finance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much his Department has spent on Ufi and learndirect in  (a) the most recent year for which figures are available and  (b) each of the previous five years, broken down by main budget heading.

Si�n Simon: The expenditure of Ufi/learndirect from the direct grant it receives from the Department through the Learning and Skills Council is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   000 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Ufl / Leardirect Participation189,834 129,232 100,154 
			 Ufl/Leardirect Advice Marketing and Infrastructure19,987 41,444 55,451 
			 Total 113,494 192,090 159,735 209,821 170,676 155,605

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Scotland

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proportion of the 400 million to be invested in low-carbon technologies will be allocated to projects and initiatives in Scotland in the period 2008 to 2011.

Mike O'Brien: The UK Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF) has a budget of 400 million on the 2008-11 spending round. The capital funding will generally be allocated to the best proposals on an open call basis, so the exact proportion that is invested in Scotland will depend on the nature of applications which are received.
	Many, although not all, ETF schemes are open to Scottish applicants, including the Low Carbon Buildings Programme, the Marine Renewables Deployment Fund, the Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Carbon Abatement Technologies Demonstration Programme, the Biomass Capital Grants Scheme, and the Offshore Wind Capital Grants scheme.
	For areas of ETF activity where responsibility is devolved, which includes bio-energy, anaerobic digestion, and Energy Saving Trust and Carbon Trust activities, schemes are restricted to activities in England. The Carbon Trust and the Energy Saving Trust have separate funding arrangements with devolved Administrations.

Departmental Manpower

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many of his Department's staff have been  (a) redeployed to his Department and  (b) newly recruited;
	(2)  what the staffing level is of his Department in its first year.

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many staff are employed by his Department  (a) on a full-time equivalent basis and  (b) on a headcount basis;
	(2)  how many staff in his Department were previously employed by  (a) the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,  (b) the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and  (c) other Government departments on (i) a full-time equivalent and (ii) a headcount basis.

Mike O'Brien: The new Department (DECC) will consist of posts taken from the existing Departments for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and from Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (DEFRA). The detail is still being worked on, but the Department of Energy and Climate Change will comprise roughly 900 posts, approximately 500 from BERR and 400 from DEFRA. Once the detail has been agreed, the information on numbers of posts will be a matter of public record.

Departmental NDPBs

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what funding has been agreed with each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies for the period 2008-2011.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change has yet to agree funding for the period 2008-11. Discussions are under way with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, to determine what funding for non-departmental public bodies will transfer to the new Department. These discussions are expected to be completed in time for reflection in the spring Supplementary Estimates.

Departmental Public Bodies

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change for which  (a) regulators,  (b) inspectorates,  (c) executive agencies,  (d) non-departmental public bodies and  (e) public corporations his Department (i) has responsibility and (ii) will become responsible in the next 12 months.

Mike O'Brien: The Cabinet Office paper in the House Library 'Machinery of Government: economy, business, climate change, energy and environment' sets out this information. There are ongoing negotiations to determine the overall functions of the Department and which additional regulators, inspectorate, executive agencies and NDPB might become the responsibility of the Department. Once these are completed they will be a matter of public record.

Departmental Recruitment

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many vacant posts for which he is responsible were advertised in each of the last three years; and at what cost.

Mike O'Brien: DECC has only been in existence since 3 October 2008. Discussions on the final resourcing of the Department are not yet complete.

Electricity

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the required investment in the electricity transmission infrastructure in  (a) Scotland and  (b) the UK in the next (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 15 years; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: In support of the Renewable Energy Strategy consultation exercise BERR commissioned advice from independent consultants Sinclair Knight Merz to provide an initial high level assessment of the costs, benefits and issues to be addressed in accommodating high levels of renewable electricity generating capacity into the electricity transmission and distribution system in Great Britain. This analysis was published alongside the consultation document and is available at
	http://renewableconsultation.berr.gov.uk/related_documents.
	Investment in electricity transmission infrastructure is ultimately a matter for the owners and operators. National Grid and the Scottish transmission owners, Scottish and Southern Energy and ScottishPower, are currently conducting transmission investment studies to identify the likely scenarios and associated investment costs to deliver the transmission capacity required in 2020 and beyond, with wider industry input through an Electricity Networks Strategy Group. A report is expected to be finalised by the end of January 2009.

Electricity Generation

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what periods of outage occurred in each of the principal power stations in Great Britain because of  (a) planned maintenance and  (b) unplanned reasons in the last 12 months; what the lost generating capacity was in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The management and performance of individual power stations is a commercially confidential matter for electricity generating companies. Table 5.10 in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics, available at
	http://stats.berr.gov.uk/energystats/dukes08_c5.pdf.
	shows the aggregated load factors achieved by plants of different generating technology types in the years 2003-07.

Electricity Generation: Scotland

Adam Ingram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of electricity generating capacity in Scotland in  (a) five,  (b) 10 and  (c) 15 years time; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The Government do not make separate estimates for future levels of generating capacity in different parts of Great Britain. Scenarios for future electricity generating capacity in the UK are set out in the Updated Energy Projections of February 2008, available at
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file39580.pdf.
	These projections do not, however, take account of any policy changes that may be made in pursuance of the Renewables Energy Strategy, which will be published next spring.

Energy: Prices

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the gap between  (a) wholesale market prices and  (b) retail prices for home energy fuels; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: According to the recent Ofgem probe, wholesale gas and electricity costs make up about 65 per cent. of the retail prices of gas and electricity. Changes in wholesale energy prices of gas and electricity tend to be passed through to retail prices with a lag. Retail pricing structures of companies are commercial decisions by the energy supply companies and the Government do not interfere in commercial pricing decisions in the energy supply markets.

Fuel Poverty: Hemel Hempstead

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many people were in fuel poverty in Hemel Hempstead constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The most recent year for which sub-national estimates of fuel poverty are available is 2003. The data for fuel poverty levels for 2003 come from the Fuel Poverty Indicator datasetavailable online at:
	http://www.fuelpovertyindicator.org.uk/.
	In 2003, there were around 2,000 households in the constituency of Hemel Hempstead living in fuel poverty.
	Fuel poverty is not measured at an individual level so these data may not reflect the current situation.

Fuel Poverty: Pembrokeshire

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households in Pembrokeshire in fuel poverty.

Mike O'Brien: The responsibility for estimating fuel poverty in Wales lies with the Welsh Assembly Government.
	The most recent geographical split of fuel poverty information in Wales comes from the Living in Wales survey, 2004. This shows that in 2004, there were around 42,000 fuel poor households in mid-Wales, the region that contains Pembrokeshire. Information on fuel poverty at a local authority level for Wales is not currently available.
	The full 2004 fuel poverty report can be found here:
	http://new.wales.gov.uk/dsjlg/research/fuelpoverty2004/analysise.pdf?lang=en

Heating: Housing

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households in  (a) Wales and  (b) Pembrokeshire that have kerosene heating.

Mike O'Brien: The information requested would be the responsibility of the Welsh Assembly Government. Information on the number of households using kerosene heating is not currently available.

Miners: Pensions

Stephen Byers: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will reform the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme to ensure that the entire surplus is used for the benefit of former mineworkers.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 23 October 2008
	The guarantee and surplus sharing arrangements which have existed for the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme since 1994 strike the best balance between protecting the interests of the scheme membership and the taxpayer. There are no plans to seek to reform them.

National Grid

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will list in date order the generating companies which have secured places in the queue for National Grid connections; how much grid capacity is reserved for each; what the source is of electricity generation in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer  27 October  2008
	Currently there are around 50GW in total of generation with offers of connection to the grid.
	National Grid publish a list of all offers of connections to the grid on their Transmission Entry Capacity (TEC) Register. This is available on their website
	http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/GettingConnected/gb_agreements/gbqueue/.
	The TEC register includes specific projects, grid capacity and dates for completion but is not broken down by generation type. National Grid do not currently publish a breakdown of the projects by generation type.
	We do not hold information on each generation type of the projects with offers of grid connection, although the DECC Re Stats planning database
	http://www.restats.org.uk/
	lists renewable generation projects by type of renewable energy.

Natural Gas: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many and what proportion of households in Stroud constituency are not on the mains gas network; and what plans he has to facilitate access to households which are not on it.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not hold detailed information about communities and households that are not connected to the mains gas network. The Design and Demonstration Unit within the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform previously developed a model for providing connections by packaging existing funding sources and using independent gas transporters to provide connections. That model was instrumental in persuading Ofgem to agree to incentivise the large gas networks to provide connections to deprived communities. This incentivisation is available to the networks under the new 2008-13 Gas Distribution Price Control, and I very much hope that they will take the opportunities it offers.

Nuclear Power

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what  (a) meetings and  (b) briefings he has had on nuclear power; with whom; on what dates; and if he will post on his departmental website copies of all briefings he has received on (i) nuclear and (ii) other power generation sources since his appointment.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had introductory meetings on a range of matters concerning our new portfolios which includes nuclear. As such briefs and presentations provide advice and information to Ministers, the Department will not be publishing them.

Nuclear Power

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will review the  (a) conduct and  (b) content of the second round of consultation on nuclear power policy in summer 2007; and if he will post on his Department's website the statements issued by his Department on the judgement of the Market Research Standards Board on the market research which informed the consultation.

Mike O'Brien: Last year's consultation on the future of nuclear power in the UK was a full and transparent consultation, lasting 20 weeks. We published a comprehensive consultation document, had a dedicated website, ran press advertising, held stakeholder events and commissioned Opinion Leader to run deliberative events with the public.
	The decision by the Market Research Standards Board referred to Opinion Leader's conduct in relation to the deliberative events, one part of our consultation. I have published on our website the response the Department issued on this matter.

Radioactive Waste: Waste Management

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what proposals the UK put forward to the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership (GNEP) on 1 October 2008 in respect of the establishment of a working group on radioactive waste management; and what consideration the GNEP has given to the concept of regional repositories for radioactive waste.

Mike O'Brien: The GNEP Executive Committee was informed of a proposal by the UK to establish a working group on radioactive waste management. My right hon. Friend, the then Minister for Energy said that the GNEP should have a credible strategy for the management of radioactive waste and this strategy should cover operational waste produced during power station operation; decommissioning waste; and any spent fuel for which no reprocessing is planned.
	The concept was well received, although some GNEP partners requested more time to consider if there is a need for a separate working group and whether the timing is right to establish a new working group now. A workshop has been organised by GNEP in December to discuss this and recommend the best way forward.
	With the UK proposal for a working group on radioactive waste management still under consideration, GNEP has yet to consider any substantive aspect of radioactive waste management including regional repositories.

Renewable Energy: South West

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many jobs have been created in the renewable energy sector in the South West region in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The Department does not collect annual data on job creation in the renewable energy sector at the regional level.
	Surveys were, however, carried out by DTZ in 2005 and 2008 on behalf of Regen SW and the results published in 'The Economic Contribution of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Sector in the South West of England'. According to the surveys, 1,140 direct jobs (FTEs) were reported in 2005. The April 2008 survey reported 2,900 jobs.
	The 2008 report can be downloaded from:
	http://www.regensw.co.uk/downloads/RegenSW_149pdf#search=economic%20contribution.

Renewable Energy: South West

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps the Government are taking to ensure that the South West region attains its target of generating 15 to 20 per cent. of its energy needs through renewable sources by 2020.

Mike O'Brien: The Government's climate change supplement to Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1Delivering Sustainable Development expects regional planning bodies to set regional targets for renewable energy generation in line with PPS22Renewable Energy, and to
	'ensure their ambition fully reflects opportunities in the region, are consistent with the Government's national targets and, where appropriate in the light of delivery, are periodically revised upwards'.
	The Government previously had a UK-wide target of 10 per cent. renewable electricity by 2010, and an aspiration to double this by 2020. It is likely that the UK will be set a target of 15 per cent. renewable energy (i.e. heat, transport and electricity) by 2020 as our share of the EU target to produce 20 per cent. of the EU's energy from renewable sources in 2020. We would expect the UK's share of the target to be translated into local/regional policies when it has been agreed.

River Severn: Tidal Power

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what representations he has received on the effects of a Severn Barrage on biodiversity on and near the Severn.

Mike O'Brien: The views of statutory consultees, environmental NGOs and other key stakeholders on biodiversity issues are being considered as part of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) being carried out for the Government by a consortium led by Parsons Brinckerhoff. The Strategic Environmental Assessment has a steering group, and this includes representation of biodiversity interests by statutory consultees, Government agencies and non-governmental organisations.
	Some bodies and individuals have also given their views on the various potential environmental impacts of a tidal power scheme in the Severn Estuary, in response to a Call for Information issued by Parsons Brinckerhoff in May 2008. This invited interested parties to submit comments or information that could contribute to the assessment. Responses in relation to biodiversity have been received from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management, Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency, Forest of Dean District Council, Gloucestershire County Council, National Trust, Natural England, Mr. Ray Parker, PML Applications Ltd, Ravensrodd Consultants Ltd, RSPB, Sedgemor District Council, Severn Estuary Partnership, South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, Shawater Ltd, Stroud District Council, South West Regional Assembly, Welsh Assembly Government, and the Wye and Usk Foundation.
	In addition, a Regional Forum of leaders of local authorities, business and environmental networks meets quarterly to discuss progress and key issues of the feasibility study, including impacts on biodiversity.
	There will be an opportunity for the public to give their views during the consultation on the feasibility study and SEA scoping report planned for January 2009.

Wind Power

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much his Department and its predecessor spent on promoting commercial wind turbines in each of the last five years.

Mike O'Brien: The question appears to relate to advertising and publicity in respect of commercial wind turbines. Neither this Department nor its predecessors have provided any direct financial support for advertising or publicity relating to large-scale commercial wind turbines.
	The Government support small-scale installations through phases 1 and 2 of the Low Carbon Buildings Programme. Therefore, promotional activity through these programmes will have covered small-scale wind turbines.
	We provide business development support for the UK renewable energy sector through UKTI (BERR) and DECC's Renewables Deployment Business Development team. This work is essentially aimed at maximising business opportunities for the sector, both domestically and overseas.
	Public sector funding for low carbon technology innovation, including wind power is being delivered through the Carbon Trust, Research Councils, the Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and the Environmental Transformation Fund (ETF). These bodies do not use Government funding for publicising wind turbines. Government money may, however, be spent on publicising their activities in the field of renewable energy and this could therefore include wind turbines. Any such amounts would be negligible.
	The renewables obligation (RO) is the Government's main mechanism for encouraging new renewable generating capacity. It is administered by Ofgem and places an obligation on licensed electricity suppliers to source a specific and annually increasing proportion of their sales from renewable sources. Generators receive one renewables obligation certificate (ROC) for each megawatt hour of eligible generation.
	The Government's policy is that it is for the market to bring forward proposals for wind power developments which, with support from the RO, are financially viable.

Wind Power: Finance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether wind power subsidies resulting from the renewables obligation may be awarded to companies registered in tax havens; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether wind power subsidies resulting from the renewables obligation may be awarded to companies who are registered in other countries; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: The renewables obligation does not provide subsidies to licensed electricity suppliers but instead places an obligation on them to source a specific and annually increasing proportion of their sales from renewable sources. Suppliers meet their obligation either by presenting renewable obligation Certificates (ROCs); by paying a buy-out price; or a combination of presenting ROCs and paying the buy-out price. Money from the buy-out fund is recycled pro-rata to suppliers presenting ROCs.
	ROCs are issued to accredited generators for every 1 MWh of electricity generated from eligible renewable sources. The electricity must be generated within the UK and supplied to customers within the UK by a licensed electricity supplier, or used in another permitted way. The Renewables Obligation Order places no restrictions on who may own or operate a generating station or hold a supply licence.

Wind Power: Planning

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent discussions he has had with  (a) the Department for Transport and  (b) the Highways Agency on the siting of wind turbines near motorways.

Mike O'Brien: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Department for Transport or the Highways Agency on the siting of wind turbines near motorways.
	Any proposals to site wind turbines near motorways would be subject to the usual planning development consents under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 or the Electricity Act 1989.

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Adoption

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many  (a) couples and  (b) single people approved to adopt were added to the Adoption Register in each year since its creation;
	(2)  how many children were added to the Adoption Register in each year since its creation.

Beverley Hughes: This information can be found in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of prospective adopters and children referred to the Adoption Register for England and Wales for the year ending December 
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Prospective adopterscouples 2,263 1,678 1,444 1,081 1,252 1,196 
			 Prospective adopterssingle 185 129 139 134 182 167 
			 Children 2,645 1,879 2,119 1,657 1,727 1,832 
			 Source:  The Adoption Register for England and Wales.

Anti-Bullying Alliance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much he has allocated to the Anti-Bullying Alliance for each of the next three years; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Anti Bullying Alliance is funded by the Department to deliver a three year programme of work from April 2008 to (i) raise awareness of how to recognise, prevent and tackle bullying in the education sector, and (ii) offer support and challenge to local authorities and schools to help embed anti-bullying work effectively on the ground.
	The funding allocated to this work, excluding VAT, in each of the next three years is shown in the table.
	
		
			   
			   Awareness raising  Embedding work 
			 2008-09 299,174 550,000 
			 2009-10 298,950 550,000 
			 2010-11 308,603 550,000

Children: Databases

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  which people and organisations will have access to the National Child Database;
	(2)  what security measures will be put in place to protect the data stored on the National Child Database; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what procedures will be put in place to ensure that information stored on the National Child Database is accurate; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether details of a child kept on the National Child Database will be destroyed once that child reaches the age of 18 years.

Beverley Hughes: The purpose of ContactPoint is to support practitioners in fulfilling their duties under section 10 (duty to co-operate to improve well-being), and section 11 (safeguarding and promoting welfare of children) of the Children Act 2004, section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children), and the local authority duties established by section 436A of the Education Act 1996 (to identify children not receiving education).
	In response to question 231716, regulation 9(2) of the Children Act 2004 Information Database (England) Regulations 2007 provides that access to ContactPoint may only be granted, in line with this purpose, by a local authority to the persons specified in schedule 3 (listed at annex A). Regulation 9(3) provides that such access to ContactPoint may only be granted, in line with the same purpose, by a 'national partner', (listed at annex B), to an employee of that 'national partner'.
	In response to question 231717, a number of robust security measures will be in place to ensure security:
	ContactPoint has multi-layer, 'defence-in-depth' security controls, meeting industry best practice and Government security guidelines;
	As an accredited Government system, its security has been and will continue to be audited and approved, at all stages, by relevant security bodies;
	additional assessments and rigorous testing will be undertaken by independent security experts during build and before the system goes liveContactPoint will not go live until it has passed these tests;
	these tests will be repeated annually to ensure continued compliance and to take account of emerging threats;
	all data supplied to ContactPoint will be strongly encrypted and extensive measures are being 'taken to ensure that the data will be transmitted securely;
	auditing will continue during operation;
	ContactPoint access is tightly controlled, such that the application can only be seen at all by users in accredited organisations;
	access will be strictly regulated to those who need it as part of their work;
	users will have current enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance (renewable every three years), or a police equivalent;
	users must undertake compulsory ContactPoint training in the safe and secure use of the system, including compliance with the Data Protection Act and Human Rights Acts;
	users must sign an acceptable use policy form to acknowledge that they understand the conditions of use;
	minimum search criteria will be required in order to prevent 'trawling' and other misuse of ContactPoint, and parameters for number of records which can be returned from a search will also be limited in order to reduce such a risk;
	all users will be strongly authenticated using 'two-factor authentication' (a security token with separate password and PIN) in order to gain access to ContactPoint,
	all users will have to state clear reasons for why they are accessing ContactPoint;
	all use of the system will be continuously audited and monitoredevery access to a child's record will be recorded in the ContactPoint audit trail, which will be regularly monitored to ensure that any misuse is detected and followed up.
	Security is of paramount importance in the development and operation of ContactPoint. The independent security assessment by Deloitte which ran until February 2008 confirmed that robust measures are in place for the security of ContactPoint and acknowledged that the importance of security is ingrained within the project. The review did not find any areas of significant weakness. While, overall, the report was very positive about security across the project, it made some recommendations about controls and measures to consider, in addition to those already planned, to be in place when the system goes live. We have accepted all the recommendations and are implementing them.
	In response to question 231718, wherever possible, ContactPoint will be automatically updated from existing systems so that practitioners will not need to enter the same information twice. The aim is that the system should not impose burdens on front-line practitioners and that it should fit conveniently into their daily work. All data supplied will be in accordance with and constrained by section 12 of the Children Act 2004 and the supporting regulations, which specifically prohibit the inclusion of any case information.
	Records from a range of national and local sources will be combined using data matching technology to produce a comprehensive set of basic information about each child. This will mean that ContactPoint builds a 'best view' of all information on a child from both national and local data sources. This makes it highly resilient to errors in any individual source; where these occur, they will be identified and flagged back to the source for correction.
	Those persons or bodies required or permitted to supply information to ContactPoint must take reasonable steps to ensure the information is accurate; they already have obligations for data accuracy under the Data Protection Act 1998. If a local authority considers that there are inaccuracies or omitted information in a record for which it is responsible, the authority must also take reasonable steps to correct the inaccuracy or to complete the record.
	In response to question 231719, regulation 4 (1) of the Children Act 2004 Information Database (England) Regulations 2007 sets out that ContactPoint will contain information on all children in England up to their 18 birthday. There is provision (in regulation 4(2)) for certain young people who receive additional servicescare leavers and those with learning disabilitiesto remain on ContactPoint up to age 25 but only with their informed, explicit consent. This is to help facilitate the transition to adult services for those young people that may have multiple, additional needs. For the majority of children however, their record will be archived after their 18 birthday and remain there for six years, after which it will be permanently deleted.
	 Annex A
	 Persons or bodies permitted by a local authority to access ContactPoint
	1.(1) A person employed in relation to the exercise by or on behalf of a local authority of the functions specified in paragraph (2).
	(2) The functions referred to in paragraph (1) are:
	(a) social services functions (within the meaning of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970;
	(b) functions under(i) Parts 4 (special educational needs) and 6 (school admissions, attendance and charges) of the Education Act 1996;
	(ii) section 175 of the Education Act 2002 (duties of LEAs and governing bodies in relation to welfare of children);
	(c) functions under Part 1 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004 (fire and rescue authorities) so far as relating to a fire and rescue service strategy for children and young people;
	(d) functions under section 10 (co-operation to improve well-being) or 11 (arrangements to safeguard and promote welfare) of the Act;
	(e) functions conferred on the authority by these regulations.
	2. A health care professional regulated by a body mentioned in section 25(3) of the National Health Service Reform and Health Care Professions Act 2002, or a person assisting such a professional in the exercise of his profession.
	3. A member or an employee of a police authority, a chief officer of police for a police area in England, or a member or any other employee of a police force for a police area in England.
	4. An officer of the British Transport Police Authority, so far as exercising functions in relation to England.
	5. An officer of a local probation board for an area in England.
	6. A member of a youth offending team for an area in England.
	7.(1) The governor of a prison or secure training centre in England (or, in the case of a contracted out prison or secure training centre, its director).
	(2) An officer of a prison or a secure training centre (or, in the case of a contracted out secure training centre, a custody officer).
	(3) An administrator assisting an officer of a secure training centre (or, in the case of a contracted out secure training centre, assisting a custody officer).
	8. A person (other than the Secretary of State) providing services under section 114 of the Learning and Skills Act 2000, or employed by such a person to provide those services.
	9.(1) A person employed at a school specified in sub-paragraph (2) as:
	(a) the head teacher;
	(b) a deputy head teacher;
	(c) an administrator;
	(d) a head of year or a teacher other than a head of year who has pastoral or child protection responsibilities;
	(e) a teacher of children with special educational needs;
	(f) a co-ordinator of special educational needs provision, or who is carrying out functions equivalent to the functions of a person referred to in paragraphs (b) to (e).
	(2) The schools referred to in sub-paragraph (1) are:
	(a) a maintained school in England (within the meaning of section 175 of the Education Act 2002);
	(b) an independent school in England (within the meaning of the Education Act 1996), and
	(c) a special school which is not maintained by a local authority and which has been approved as a special school under section 342 of the Education Act 1996(b) (approval of non-maintained special schools).
	10. A person employed at an institution within the further education sector (within the meaning of section 91 of the Further and Higher Education Act 1992(c)) as:
	(a) the principal;
	(b) a deputy principal;
	(c) a tutor with pastoral or child protection responsibilities or responsibilities in relation to special educational needs;
	(d) an administrator, or who is carrying out functions equivalent to the functions of a person referred to in paragraphs (b) to (d).
	11. An employee of a voluntary organisation exercising functions or engaged in activities in relation to persons to whom arrangements specified in section 12(1) of the Act relate.
	12. A social care worker within the meaning of section 55(2) of the Care Standards Act 2000 who is registered with the General Social Care Council.
	13. A member of the staff of the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service appointed under paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 2 to the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
	14.(1) A person employed by a fire and rescue authority to which this paragraph applies in relation to a fire and rescue service strategy for children and young people.
	(2) This paragraph applies to a fire and rescue authority (determined in accordance with Part 1 of the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004) for any area in England for which the local authority (within the meaning in these regulations) is not the fire and rescue authority.
	15. An employee of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (an affiliate of the Serious Organised Crime Agency), so far as it is exercising functions in relation to the sexual abuse of children.
	 Annex B
	 National Partners
	1. KIDS (registered charity number 275936);
	2. Barnardo's (registered charity number 216250);
	3. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (registered charity number 216401);
	4. Action for Children (Registered charity Nos. 1097940/SC038092) (Formerly NCH);
	5. Church of England Children's Society (registered charity number 221124);
	6. The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (an affiliate of the Serious Organised Crime Agency);
	7. The Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

Children: Databases

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2008,  Official Report, column 704W, on children: databases, 
	(1)  if he will place a copy of the original circular sent by his Department's ContactPoint team in the Library; who authorised the sending of original circular; and to whom it was sent;
	(2)  what enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks are proposed for  (a) professionals who can access ContactPoint and  (b) in-house and contracted IT staff responsible for maintaining the ContactPoint system;
	(3)  which groups of people will be subject to additional security measures before their details may be accessed on ContactPoint; and what additional security arrangement will be put in place on ContactPoint for the details of children who are subject to the Witness Protection Scheme;
	(4)  what progress has been made with shielding arrangements for ContactPoint; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 3 November 2008
	In answer to question 232461, the original circular is already in the public domain. However I have today placed in the Library a copy of this note, together with a copy of the covering email. Names have been redacted pending the outcome of standard disciplinary procedures regarding the precise circumstances of the note's release which has been commissioned by David Bell, Permanent Secretary of the Department for Children, Schools and Families. As Mr. Bell said in his letter of 24 October to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove) (also in the Library), Ministers neither commissioned the note nor approved its release. The note was sent by officials to ContactPoint implementation co-ordinators; the covering email said that they might pass it on to implementation managers in local authorities.
	In answer to question 232463, all access to ContactPoint will be strictly restricted to those staff who need it as part of their work. One of the conditions of access is that they must, as a minimum, have a current enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance which is renewable every three years. IT staff, whether in-house or contracted by the Department, who are responsible for maintaining the ContactPoint system will also be subject to the same standard of enhanced Criminal Records Bureau clearance.
	In answer to question 232464, records of some children, whose circumstances may mean that they, or others, are at increased risk of harm (for example, those fleeing domestic violence), may be subject to 'shielding', whereby some of their details which could give an indication of their whereabouts will be hidden from users' view. The decision to shield will be taken on a case-by-case basis and will be based on the level of threat posed if their information becomes more widely available. Such a decision can only be undertaken by a local authority which is under a duty to consider the views of the person to whom the record relates, the views of their parent or carer, and of any schedule 4 or schedule 5 body (as specified by the Children Act 2004 Information Database (England) Regulations 2007), involved with the child or young person. This is not unique to ContactPoint and is already used in other systems, and is entirely consistent with the Data Protection Act.
	The Department has been working closely with officials in the National Policing Improvement Agency with regards to shielding, specifically how to manage records of children and young people who are subject to witness protection.
	In answer to question 232465, local authorities are undertaking local analysis using the shielding assessmenta means by which they will report their progress to the ContactPoint national team on pre-deployment shielding preparations and action. Local authorities are currently engaging with local partners to ensure that those partners understand the shielding guidance and agree how their data can be securely transferred to ContactPoint. Thereafter, identified local authority staff will be trained how to shield records, and in January/February 2009 shielding of these records will commence.

Children: Protection

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children there are on the at risk register in Hampshire, broken down by reason for such registration.

Beverley Hughes: The number of children who were the subject of a child protection plan (on the child protection register) in Hampshire for the latest five years for which data are available is set out in the table. These figures are published on the website:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgatewav/DB/SFR/s000811/index.shtml
	
		
			  Children( 1)  who were the subject of a Child Protection Plan: Years ending 31 March 2004 - 08 
			  Hampshire  Number 
			 2004 425 
			 2005 465 
			 2006 460 
			 2007 445 
			 2008 465 
			 (1) Includes unborn children.  Source: CPR3 
		
	
	The data are broken down by age and gender and by category of abuse. For the year ending 31 March 2008 children who were the subject of a Child Protection Plan in Hampshire were broken down by category of abuse as follows:
	
		
			  Hampshire  Number 
			 All children(1) 465 
			 Neglect 275 
			 Physical abuse 75 
			 Sexual abuse 45 
			 Emotional abuse 65 
			 Multiple/Not Recommended(2) 0 
			 (1) Includes unborn children  (2) Multiple refers to instances where there is more than one category of abuse. These children are not counted under the other abuse headings, so a child can appear only once in this table. Not recommended refers to classificatory categories not recommended by 'Working Together'(1999) 
		
	
	For the year ending 31 March 2008 children who were the subject of a Child Protection Plan in Hampshire were broken down by age and gender as follows:
	
		
			  Hampshire  Number 
			 All children(1) 465 
			 Boys 250 
			 Girls 210 
			 Under 1 year 55 
			 1-4 years 135 
			 5-9 years 150 
			 10-15 years 115 
			 16 years and over 10 
			 (1) Includes unborn children

Education

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he has taken since the publication of the White Paper, Back on Track, in May 2008 on transforming the quality of alternative educational provision for those pupils who are unable to attend mainstream or special schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: On 23 October, the Secretary of State announced a package of measures based on the proposals set out in Back on Track.
	The publication of the document Taking Back on Track Forward, which responds to consultation and outlines the next steps to be implemented;
	The publication of new guidance Commissioning Alternative Provision: Guidance for Local Authorities and Schools;
	The launch of a database of providers of alternative provision;
	Specifications for the role of the local authority 'named officer'; and
	12 alternative provision pilots to explore innovation and best practice.
	These have all been placed on the Department's internet site and can be found at the following page:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/exclusions/alternative_provision_policies/index.cfm

Education

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will list the programmes and corresponding allocations aggregated as Other Miscellaneous Programmes for the year 2008-09 in the Schools section of Table 8.3 of his Department's 2008 annual report.

Edward Balls: Table 1 lists the schools programmes aggregated under the Other Miscellaneous'' title and their corresponding projected allocations for 2008-09, as shown in the 2008 Departmental Annual Report.
	
		
			  Table 1: List of Other Miscellaneous Programmes 
			  Schools   million 
			 Music and Dance Capital 34 
			 Medical Fees and Services 1 
			 Premature Retirement Compensation 12 
			 Teacher Development Agency 600 
			 National College for School Leadership 83 
			 Partnership for Schools 1 
			 Inclusion Programmes/ Behaviour/ Aim higher / Alternative provision 4 
			 Governors/ Admissions/ Independent State Schools/ Travel Advisers/ School Meals 5 
			 Teachers Pensions Contractual 1 
			 Partnerships and Federations 9 
			 Pupil attainment and assessment publications 1 
			 Gifted and Talented/ Study Support/ Playing for Success 32 
			 Curriculum 32 
			 Sport 22 
			 Total 837

National Curriculum Tests

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what entitlements to  (a) further study and  (b) particular GCSEs for pupils were based on a particular level of key stage 3 attainment; and what steps he plans to take on this after the abolition of key stage 3 tests.

Jim Knight: The only entitlement based on Key Stage 3 results is that pupils who achieve level 6 at Key Stage 3 science are entitled to study separate biology, physics and chemistry GCSEs (triple science). This entitlement will continue, based on levels awarded by teacher assessment instead of using the results of externally marked tests.

National Curriculum Tests

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  in how many primary schools fewer than  (a) 50 per cent.,  (b) 60 per cent.,  (c) 70 per cent. and  (d) 80 per cent. of pupils obtained level 4 in a combination of mathematics, reading and writing tests at key stage 2 in 2008;
	(2)  in how many primary schools fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils obtained a level 4 in a combination of English and mathematics key stage 2 tests in 2008;
	(3)  in how many primary schools in each local authority area decile of multiple deprivation fewer than 65 per cent. of pupils obtained level 4 in a combination of English and mathematics key stage two tests in 2008.

Jim Knight: 2008 results are not available until after the publication of the Primary School Achievement and Attainment Tables.

Pupil Exclusions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  which local authorities have established pupils at risk panels;
	(2)  which authorities have reduced the number of exclusions of pupils by the operation of pupils at risk panels.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department does not collect this information centrally.

Pupil Exclusions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on the use of learning support units being used as a form of internal exclusion of pupils in schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has received no such representations.

Pupil Exclusions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what representations he has received on the practice of informal or unofficial exclusions of pupils from maintained schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department receives a small number of complaints under sections 496 and 497 of the Education Act 1996 about school exclusions, some of which allege informal, unofficial or illegal exclusions. These complaints are dealt with as appropriate under the Act.

Pupil Referral Units

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many pupils were permanently excluded from pupil referral units in each of the last three years; and what the process is for identifying a suitable setting for educational provision for such children.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The requested information on exclusions from pupil referral units in 2006-07 is no longer collected centrally. The latest date for which we have such data, 2004-05, shows that 40 pupils were permanently excluded from pupil referral units.
	It is up to each local authority to determine the most appropriate setting for pupils who have been permanently excluded from pupil referral units. We do not specify the process by which local authorities determine this but we would expect them to base their decision on the pupil's individual needs.
	On 23 October we published new guidance for local authorities and schools on commissioning alternative provision from external sources, such as from the voluntary and private sectors, which will help them to commission appropriate provision. The guidance makes clear that it is important that any underlying causes of challenging behaviour are identified and addressed.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will consider increasing the frequency of schools' holding of anti-bullying weeks to encourage a greater focus on different aspects of bullying and appropriate responses.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The materials provided for anti-bullying week by the Anti Bullying Alliance, and the Department's own anti-bullying guidance and materials, are designed to engage schools in anti-bullying activities throughout the year. Anti-bullying week in November provides an opportunity for schools to celebrate all the work they have done throughout the year to prevent and tackle bullying, and it also sets the agenda for the future school year. The slogan for anti-bullying week this year is 'Being different, belonging together', and the focus is on ensuring that schools' anti-bullying strategies are underpinned and supported through excellent practice on diversity, inclusion and equality. The Government have also introduced a statutory duty for head teachers to determine measures to prevent all forms of bullying, including those motivated by prejudice, and we have published detailed guidance which provides schools with advice oh how best to fulfil this duty.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the first year of the Secondary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning programme in tackling bullying.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: There is some early evidence on the effectiveness of the first year of the Secondary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) programme in tackling bullying. The University of Manchester conducted an interim review and found evidence that pupils and teachers who are involved with SEAL were better equipped to tackle bullying. The full effects of SEAL will inevitably take some years to be fully felt. However, when SEAL is effectively implemented across the whole school, it establishes strong foundations that work to prevent bullying can build upon.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps the national anti-bullying strategies regional advisers have taken to spread good practice in anti-bullying policy since inception.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The national strategies have a team of cross-phase regional advisers, each of whom provides support and challenge to a group of local authorities (LAs) in all areas of behaviour including anti-bullying. Universal, targeted and/or intensive activities are developed in LAs, according to need and priority.
	Universal support and challenge is provided through regular discussions with LAs, termly regional network meetings and data gathering. It is also provided through a range of materials and resources, including core training materials, an anti-bullying toolkit and focused anti-bullying units in the primary and secondary Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) materials. Evidence and impact of LA work is tested partly through school visits and robust analysis of the data submitted by LAs.
	Good grace is disseminated nationally through termly regional network meetings and locally through termly Behaviour and Attendance leader network meetings, planned and delivered by Behaviour and Attendance consultants and often supported by the regional advisors.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what response he has received from schools to the recommendation in Safe to Learn: Embedding anti-bullying work in schools that they should record all incidents of bullying, including by type, and report the statistics to their local authority.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We have not asked for a response from schools on this issue.
	We are now proposing to introduce a statutory requirement for all schools to record (not report) incidents of verbal or physical abuse which are linked to bullying. We will be going out to consultation on how to take this forward in the new year and will invite comments from a range of stakeholders including head teachers, professional associations, governors, parents and young people.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will invite Ofsted to assess the extent to which schools are demonstrating effective leadership in promoting an open and honest anti-bullying ethos.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: All inspectors are required, when carrying out Section 5 and 'reduced tariff' inspections, to ensure that they check the school systems for dealing with all forms of bullying. Inspectors consult parents and pupils and, while inspectors are not expected to follow up individual cases, they are expected to follow up on the overarching issues and to take appropriate action.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what plans he has to contribute to Anti-Bullying Week in November 2008.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Secretary of State is considering this matter in consultation with key stakeholders including the Anti-Bullying Alliance. He will set out what he intends to do in due course.

Pupils: Intimidation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the incidence of bullying in pupil referral units in each of the last three years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the incidence of bullying of pupils in maintained schools in each of the last three years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the incidence of bullying in maintained schools on grounds of  (a) race or religion,  (b) sexual orientation and  (c) disability in each of the last three years;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the adequacy of schools' data recording systems in relation to the effectiveness of their anti-bullying policies.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: We are unable to provide figures for the number of bullying incidents in either PRU's or maintained schools as we do not collect these data centrally. However, we do collect data on young people's perceptions of bullying through the annual TellUs survey and have recently published the results of TellUs 3. The survey showed that 48 per cent. of children and young people experienced bullying during the previous year, either in school or in another setting.
	We do not collect regular data on bullying related to race or religion, sexual orientation or disability and special educational needs. However, our annual Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) survey shows that white pupils, religious pupils not belonging to one of the mainstream religions, pupils with a disability and/or pupils with special educational needs are more likely to be bullied than their peers. The prevalence of bullying in all these groups decreases as the pupils get older.
	We have introduced an indicator on bullying which underpins the Child Safety Public Service Agreement (PSA 13, NI69), and made clear that we expect the proportion of children and young people who experience bullying to go down over the spending review period. We have made clear that we will monitor progress on this indicator using the annual TellUs survey. My Department has also set up a board to monitor progress against the PSA. The board will look at a range of evidence and data to ensure that we are making satisfactory progress against this indicator including evidence in respect of bullying related to race and religion, sexual orientation, special educational needs and disability. We will seek to ensure that the proportion of black and minority ethnic, gay or disabled young people who experience bullying also goes down.
	We have not carried out a systematic assessment of schools' data recording systems in relation to the effectiveness of their anti-bullying policies. However, we have asked the Anti-Bullying Alliance and National Strategies to work with local authorities and schools to ensure that they are effectively implementing the Department's guidance, and using the Anti-Bullying Charter to draw up robust policies. As part of this process, they will seek to ensure that schools have appropriate procedures in place for recording bullying incidents. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Children Schools and Families, recently announced that we would introduce a new statutory requirement for schools to record incidents of verbal or physical abuse relating to bullying. We intend to consult key stakeholders on this over the coming months.

Pupils: Languages

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of pupils at  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in (i) Bexley and (ii) London who do not speak English as a first language.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The number of pupils whose first language is known or believed to be other than English in Bexley and London can be found in table 20 of the 'Pupil Characteristics and Class Sizes in Maintained Schools in England: January 2008 (Provisional)' Statistical First Release accessible via
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000786/SFR_09_2008_LA_Tables.xls.

Schools: Discipline

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many behaviour and attendance consultants there are in maintained schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: There are 270 behaviour and attendance consultants in maintained schools in England and Wales.

Schools: Mediation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the  (a) scale and  (b) effectiveness of mediation through a third party to resolve conflicts between two parties within a school;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent to which personal social health education and citizenship classes in schools are tackling the issue of bullying.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has recently commissioned Goldsmiths college to undertake research into the effectiveness of our anti-bullying strategies. This research will provide the necessary quantitative and qualitative data needed to draw robust conclusions about the efficacy of different anti-bullying strategies, including mediation and PSHE and citizenship classes.

Specialised Diplomas

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what guidance he has issued on the criteria for entering pupils for the foundation or higher diplomas.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The prime criterion for deciding whether a young person undertakes a diploma is whether it is the best option for him or her. Diplomas, along with apprenticeships and general qualifications, are an important part of ensuring the right choices are available to young people.
	Schools and colleges are determined that every young person should be able to access the programme of learning that is best suited to their abilities and aspirations. Diplomas are an important part of ensuring the right choices are available to young people and while, as with other qualifications, the diploma will not be the right choice for everyone the decision over whether a young person takes a diploma will be driven by what the young person wants to do, and what is in the best interests of that young person.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

BBC: Internet

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on proposals by the BBC to establish a local network of news video sites; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: I have received a number of direct representations on BBC's plans for online local news provision. However, this is a matter for the BBC Trust. There is no provision for the Government to intervene in the BBC's day-to-day operational or editorial matters.

Broadcasting: Sight Impaired

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on increasing the target for audio-described programming  (a) from 10 per cent. and  (b) to 20 per cent.

Andy Burnham: I have received representations from the general public and the RNIB about increasing the current 10 per cent. target for audio-described programming to 20 per cent.
	Ofcom have responsibility for assessing audio description usage on television programmes. I understand that they intend to investigate take-up and usage of audio description and to conduct an analysis of the social and financial implications of any possible increase in audio description as part of their 2009 Access Services Review.

Ofcom: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the budget is for Ofcom's regulatory activities in each of the next three financial years.

Andy Burnham: Ofcom is the independent regulator for the UK communications industry, and sets its budget on an annual basis, and publishes this on 31 March of every year. I am therefore unable to provide the budget figures requested for 2009-10 and 2010-11. Ofcom's budget for 2008-09 will be 133.7 million, 1.5 per cent. lower in real terms than its budget for 2007-08 and 17.5 per cent. lower in real terms than Ofcom's original full-year budget set in 2004-05.
	A four year funding settlement was set with HM Treasury on 24 February 2007 and for 2009-10 and 2010-11it is 142 million and 143 million respectively. Ofcom must operate within this settlement.

Swimming

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will hold discussions with the Swimming Teachers' Association on its Go for Gold scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: I currently have no plans to meet the Swimming Teachers' Association. However, my officials will meet the Association in December to discuss the free swimming offer, and will use that opportunity to discuss the Swimming Teachers' Association's work more widely.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour: Gwent

Don Touhig: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dispersal orders have been issued in Islwyn constituency in the last 12 months.

Alan Campbell: Gwent police have informed the Home Office that one dispersal order was issued in Islwyn constituency in the last 12 months which ran from 11 October 2007 to 3 April 2008.

Asylum

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons luncheon vouchers are used to support asylum seekers on Section 4 support; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Failed asylum seekers who are eligible for support to avoid destitution under section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are provided with accommodation and vouchers for food and other basic essential items. The Act prohibits the provision of cash subsistence. Luncheon vouchers are just one of the forms of voucher provided.

Asylum

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legacy asylum cases she expects to have been determined by 31 December 2008.

Phil Woolas: Lin Homer updates the Home Affairs Select Committee on the progress of concluding legacy cases every six months, with the next update due around the end of 2008. The Case Resolution Directorate has concluded over 100,000 cases and remains on track to complete this work by summer 2011. Every case is decided on its own merits.

Cannabis: Crime

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the effectiveness of the system for recording of cannabis warnings on the Police National Computer.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 3 November 2008
	Following the announcement on 7 May of the Government's decision to reclassify cannabis to a class B drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, subject to parliamentary approval, at the request of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, the Association of Chief Police Officers set out its proposal for the policing of cannabis. The proposal identified the need to improve the recording of cannabis warnings, including the option of placing them on the police national computer. However, there is no current method for recording cannabis warnings on the PNC.

Community Support Officers: Ethnic Groups

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of police community support officers were from an ethnic minority background in each year since their inception, broken down by police force.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2008
	The available data are given in the tables placed in the House Library.
	The requested data are also published as part of the annual Police Service Strength England and Wales Statistical Bulletin. The 2008 bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and previous years' bulletins are available in the House of Commons Library. The annual Home Secretary's Race Employment Targets report may also be of interest in relation to the question asked:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/race-equality-targets-2006-07

Crimes of Violence

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of serious violent crime were reported in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics. Figures for 'most serious violence against the person' are therefore provided in the following tables.
	Recorded crime statistics are not recorded at constituency level. The area of Jarrow comes within the South Tyneside crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) and figures at CDRP level for most serious violence offences are only available from 2000-01.
	
		
			  Table 1. Offences of most serious violence against the person recorded by the police1997 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  1997 
			 Jarrow n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP n/a 
			 North East Region 869 
			 England and Wales 14,230 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. Offences of most serious violence against the person recorded by the police1998-99 to 2001-02 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			 Jarrow n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP n/a n/a 63 62 
			 North East Region 748 819 803 889 
			 England and Wales 15,820 17,006 17,592 18,699 
			  Notes: 1. The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997.  2. The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the national crime recording standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3. Offences of most serious violence against the person recorded by the police2002-03 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Jarrow n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP 57 46 55 43 48 42 
			 North East Region 1,003 1,053 992 997 957 828 
			 England and Wales(1) 20,356 21,836 21,705 20,972 19,150 16,939 
			 (1 )Includes British Transport police from 2002-03.  Note:  The data in this table take account of the introduction of the national crime recording standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crimes of Violence

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of violent crime have been reported in  (a) Jarrow constituency,  (b) South Tyneside,  (c) the North East and  (d) England and Wales in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics. We now provide figures for violence against the person and these are given in the following tables.
	Recorded crime statistics are not recorded at constituency level. The area of Jarrow comes within the South Tyneside crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) and figures at CDRP level are only available from 1999-2000.
	
		
			  Table 1. Offences of violence against the person recorded by the police1997 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  1997 
			 Jarrow n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP n/a 
			 North East Region 9,242 
			 England and Wales 250,827 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2. offences of violence against the person recorded by the police1998-99 to 2001-02 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02 
			 Jarrow n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP n/a 1,280 1,483 1,686 
			 North East Region 20,392 21,985 21,086 25,579 
			 England and Wales 502,778 581,034 600,913 650,326 
			  Notes: 1. The coverage was extended and counting rules revised from 1998-99. Figures from that date are not directly comparable with those for 1997. 2. The data in this table are prior to the introduction of the national crime recording standard. These figures are not directly comparable with those for later years. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3. Offences of violence against the person recorded by the police2002-03 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Jarrow n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 South Tyneside CDRP 2,568 2,500 2,252 2,637 2,711 2,289 
			 North East Region 39,164 40,561 41,537 46,206 48,194 41,085 
			 England and Wales(1) 845,078 967,228 1,048,095 1,059,585 1,046,168 961,188 
			 (1 )Includes British Transport Police from 2002-03.  Note: The data in this table take account of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. These figures are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

Crimes of Violence: Hampshire

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded incidents of violent crime there were in  (a) Southampton,  (b) Test Valley Borough and  (c) the ceremonial county of Hampshire in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: A number of changes have been made to recorded crime in response to the two reviews of crime statistics. One such change is that the term 'violent crime' is no longer used in connection with the recorded crime statistics. We now provide figures for violence against the person and these are given in the following table.
	The available information is given in the following table and relates to the Southampton and Test Valley crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP) areas and the Hampshire police force area.
	
		
			  Table 1. Offences of violence against the person recorded by the police2003-04 to 2007-08 
			  Number of offences 
			  Offence  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Southampton CDRP 6,685 7,274 7,745 8,515 8,800 
			 Test Valley CDRP 1,541 1,703 1,620 1,722 1,871 
			 Hampshire 35,148 38,173 38,686 40,569 39,028

Departmental Advertising

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on television advertising in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 27 October 2008
	The following table outlines Home Office spend on television advertising in each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Total TV spend  () 
			 2007-08 2,245,431 
			 2006-07 4,600,476 
			 2005-06 3,513,827 
			 2004-05 4,569,830 
			 2003-04 5,455,916 
			 Note: These figures refer to the cost of media excluding fees, VAT and production costs. 
		
	
	During this time, TV advertising addressed the important issues of drug misuse, burglary, vehicle crime, alcohol harm and police and police community support officer recruitment.

Departmental Databases

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what use  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies make of (i) MOSAIC data and (ii) ACORN data.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office and its agencies use such data to target our paid for communications effectively, and maximise their value for money. ACORN data are also used to derive indicators applied within the principle formula Police Grant and in analysis of the British Crime Survey to help measure variations in the risk of being a victim of crime by type of residential neighbourhood. ACORN data are also used to group areas of the country sharing similar characteristics into most similar families which in turn enable each area to be compared with its peers for performance assessment purposes.
	We will continue to use these commercial products in the future in new analyses where their application is most appropriate to answer analysis and research questions.

Departmental Postal Services

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of documents sent to members of the public by her Department were lost in the post in the latest period for which information is available.

Phil Woolas: To assess the percentage of all documents lost in the post across the whole of the Home Office area of business would be disproportionate to costs. However, on the loss of passports, the Identity and Passport Service despatch new passports to customers by Secure Delivery, a secure courier service provided by Secure Mail Services (SMS). In the last two years, around 720 passports have been lost, which represents 0.012 per cent. of the 6 million total deliveries in those years. SMS couriers now use handheld GPS technology to assist in deliveries and losses are expected to significantly reduce as a consequence.

Deportation

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the people subject to a control order the Government have attempted to deport.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 30 October 2008
	We have considered deportation for all foreign nationals currently subject to a control order.

Deportation

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were removed from the UK after they had been admitted to the country in each of the last 10 years.

Phil Woolas: The following table shows the number of cases removed or departed voluntarily from the UK between 1998 and 2007. These figures include persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them and since January 1999 persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration. These figures exclude non-asylum cases refused entry at port and subsequently removed (including cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls).
	Further National Statistics on removals from the UK are available from the Library of the House and Table 6.1 of the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 2007 bulletin
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb1108.pdf.
	
		
			  Enforced removals and voluntary departures from the UK( 1,)( )( 2,)( )( 3) , 1998 to 2007( 4) 
			   Number 
			 1998 10,860 
			 1999 11,345 
			 2000 13,815 
			 2001 16,940 
			 2002 22,000 
			 2003 29,255 
			 2004 24,990 
			 2005 28,410 
			 2006 31,970 
			 2007(5) 32,220 
			 (1) Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them, since January 1999 persons leaving under assisted voluntary return programmes run by the International Organisation for Migration and since January 2005 persons who it has been established have left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. (2) Due to a reclassification of removal categories, figures include asylum removals which have been performed by Enforcement Officers using port powers of removal and a small number of asylum cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls. (3) Excludes non-asylum cases refused entry at port and subsequently removed from the UK (including non-asylum cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls. (4) Figures are rounded to the nearest five. (5) Provisional figures.

Deportation: Offenders

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are assigned to work in prisons on duties related to the deportation of foreign national prisoners; and in which prisons they work.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 3 November 2008
	There are currently 24 dedicated immigration officers (plus six assistant immigration officers) who work in prisons throughout the UK on duties related to the deportation of foreign national prisoners. Their work is supplemented by staff from local enforcement offices when required. In addition, there are seven immigration officers who are embedded in Canterbury and Bullwood Hall prisons.
	The UK Border Agency (UKBA), working closely with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS), is planning to increase the number of immigration officers embedded in prisons during the next six months.

Drugs: Crime

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to introduce further powers to seize the assets of drug dealers.

Alan Campbell: The Government announced earlier this year, as part of the draft legislative programme for 2008-09, that we would introduce new measures on the seizure and recovery of criminal assets. That remains our firm intention. Legislation will be introduced as parliamentary time permits.

Drugs: Seizures

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the monetary value was of illegal drugs seized by the UK Border Agency in 2007-08.

Jacqui Smith: The UK Border Agency was not formed in the financial year to which the question relates, therefore cannot provide the required information. I refer the hon. and learned Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Mr. Timms) on 15 October 2008,  Official Report, column 1311W.

Dungavel Detention Centre

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of families held at Dungavel Detention Centre will be included in the pilot scheme to relocate those held at Dungavel to housing outside the centre.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The UK Border Agency is working with Glasgow city council, the Scottish Refugee Council, the Scottish Executive and other partners to develop an alternative to detention pilot for families in Scotland. The pilot has not yet started but the planning process is at an advanced stage and engagement with the wider external stakeholders community is currently taking place. The pilot will build up over time to allow us to learn and explore alternatives to detention and, I hope, therefore reduce the need for the enforced removals and detention of families by assisting them to make arrangements for voluntary departure. It is intended that the pilot will be up and running in early 2009.
	Not all families will go through the pilot. But if it is successful in that more families that are here illegally leave the UK without the need to detain them, the Government will consider expanding the pilot further.
	For families that are here illegally and refuse to consider the current options for leaving the UK under their own steam we have no option but to retain the ability to enforce their departure if they choose to defy our laws and the decisions of our independent courts.

Electronic Government

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether mechanisms are in place to monitor the extent to which her Department's  (a) internal and  (b) external (i) correspondence and (ii) distribution of publications is carried out electronically.

Phil Woolas: All correspondence requiring a ministerial reply, as well as letters and emails from the public addressed to Ministers or to the Home Office and requiring an official reply, is tracked and managed on the Department's correspondence tracking system. That system is not however used to track and manage any other correspondence, including commercial or casework related correspondence, correspondence between Government Departments, and letters addressed to individual members of staff by name. No mechanisms exist to monitor the extent to which all external and internal correspondence is carried out electronically.
	Most publications are made available electronically via the Home Office website, but no mechanisms exist to monitor the extent of electronic distribution.

Emergency Services: Scotland

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on pension changes for the  (a) police and  (b) fire and rescue services.

Vernon Coaker: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has had no meetings with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland on pension changes for the police and fire rescue services.

Fraud: Credit Cards

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded offences of credit card fraud there were in each year since 1997; what the estimated cost was of these offences; and what percentage of these offences resulted in a conviction.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Home Office recorded crime statistics cannot separately identify offences specifically relating to credit card fraud. Such offences are encompassed in a larger category of Fraud by False Representation involving Cheque, Plastic Card and Online Bank Accounts. We do incorporate figures on plastic card fraud from the UK Payments Association within our annual crime publication. Their latest figures can be found on page 107 of 'Crime in England and Wales 2007-08' which can be accessed at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs08/hosb0708.pdf.

Genetics: Databases

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of people with criminal records who do not have records on the national DNA database.

Jacqui Smith: The National DNA Database (NDNAD) does not contain any information about criminal records, as this is not necessary for its function of matching DNA from crime scenes with DNA from individuals. Criminal record information is held on the Police National Computer (PNC). Data obtained from the PNC on 31 March 2008 indicate that there were 2,324,879 persons with a record on the PNC added by an English or Welsh force who had a conviction, caution, reprimand or final warning, but no record on NDNAD.

Highly Skilled Migrant Programme

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of students at universities required to pay full fees because of changes to the immigration status of their parents as a result of amendments to the Highly Skilled Migrants Programme.

Phil Woolas: Dependants of highly skilled migrants are required to pay full student fees up until the point at which they obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
	The November 2006 amendments to the Highly Skilled Migrant Programme, taken in conjunction with the remedies applied as a result of the successful Judicial Review, did not affect the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain in the UK so therefore did not affect the number of dependants required to pay full fees at UK universities.

Illegal Immigrants: France

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had with the French government on camps for illegal immigrants.

Phil Woolas: On 30 September my right hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Byrne) met with Brice Hortefeux in Paris and discussed the problem of illegal migration in Northern France. They welcomed progress on strengthening border security, deterring irregular migrants from coming to the area and agreed to increase efforts to reduce the numbers of irregular migrants in the area. They restated their shared opposition to a permanent humanitarian centre. The UK looks forward to further cooperation with France on joint returns and information campaigns in countries of source and origin to deter migrants from remaining in Northern France.

Illegal Immigrants: France

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal immigrants were stopped trying to enter the UK through the Channel tunnel in  (a) 2007 and  (b) 1997.

Phil Woolas: Locally-collated management information shows that in 2007, the UK Border Agency prevented 2,974 illegal attempts to enter the UK through the channel tunnel. The UK Border Agency does not hold the relevant reliable statistical information for the period 1997.
	The following table shows that since the end of 2001, there has been a 672 per cent. increase in the detection of illegal attempts to enter the UK through the channel tunnel.
	
		
			  Illegal attempts detected at ports serving the channel tunnel 
			   Number 
			 2001 (1)385 
			 2002 963 
			 2003 3,396 
			 2004 2,969 
			 2005 2,427 
			 2006 2,160 
			 2007 2,974 
			 (1) Coquelles only

Illegal Immigrants: France

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of  (a) immigrant camps in operation on the French coast for people seeking to enter the UK,  (b) people in such camps and  (c) children in such camps.

Phil Woolas: There are no permanent camps in the Calais area since the closure of Sangatte in 2002. The French police regularly intervene to disrupt areas with high numbers of migrants or where such areas threaten to become durable. The number of people sleeping rough in Northern France is believed to vary greatly and are difficult to estimate. However between January and September 2006 there was an 88 per cent. fall in the number of clandestine entrants arriving in Kent compared to the same period in 2002. On the question of children, the French have in place specific procedures for protecting children, and provide particular support to children via their equivalent local authorities in the area.

Immigration Controls

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to consult on the future of the long residence rules, as stated on 7 July.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 October 2008,  Official Report, column 268W.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the UK's responsibilities are under the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum agreed at the recent meeting of the European Council.

Phil Woolas: The Migration Pact is a political statement which reaffirms priorities on immigration and asylum for the EU and member states. It contains statements of principle to which EU member states collectively should have regard in EU policy-making, such as a political commitment to avoid mass regularisation. We welcome the messages on returns, strong borders and combating illegal immigration. We also welcome the emphasis on legal migration that meets the needs of our countries.
	The pact is not a legislative text and subsequent proposals for legislation on immigration and asylum resulting from the pact will be subject to the UK's Opt In Protocol.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist in the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum to help share the burden of immigration more fairly amongst member states.

Phil Woolas: The Migration Pact promotes a number of ways to help show solidarity in dealing with immigration and asylum, including cooperation between member states in controlling illegal immigration. The pact also includes the possibility of continuing arrangements for intra EU relocation of recognised refugees for those member states which are faced with specific and disproportionate pressures on their national asylum systems. Any intra EU relocation of refugees will be on a voluntary basis. The EU Solidarity Mechanism funds will continue to support any burden sharing.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for developing a common asylum and immigration policy as a result of the European Pact on Immigration and Asylum; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The Migration Pact itself does not lay down a timetable for a common European asylum and immigration policy, but sets out a series of commitments for member states and the EU as a whole.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions have taken place with other EU member states on the proposed blue card immigration system and its potential effect on the UK.

Phil Woolas: The blue card directive was discussed, without agreement, at the JHA Council on 25 September. On 22 October the directive was agreed at the COREPER ambassadors meeting and political agreement is likely to be reached at the November JHA Council.
	Given that we have decided not to opt into the directive, any movement rights between member states obtained by a third country national through it would not apply to the UK.

Immigration: EU Law

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed Europe-wide blue card immigration system would supersede existing immigration controls, with particular reference to the points-based immigration system; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: The UK is introducing its points based system as a fundamental part of delivering our improved immigration system. We have concluded that the blue card directive is not as flexible as the PBS. The UK decided not to opt in to the directive. For further details on the blue card I refer the right hon. Member to the Explanatory Memorandum deposited on 11 July 2008.

Immigration: Fees and Charges

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the scale was of fees for processing applications for  (a) indefinite leave to remain and  (b) further leave to remain in each of the last three years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 29 October 2008
	The following table lists the fees for an application made by post for indefinite leave to remain and leave to remain (non-student) in each of the last three years.
	
		
			   
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Indefinite Leave to Remain 335 750 750 
			 Leave to Remain (non-student) 335 595 595

Immigration: Manpower

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of UK Border Agency staff have been allocated to the processing of leave to remain applications in each of the last five years.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 29 October 2008
	 Details of the number of staff allocated to processing leave to remain applications are not held.
	Annual estimates of the number of staff allocated to processing charged leave to remain applications are however, made to support production of memorandum trading accounts. The table below provides the estimated proportion of UK Border Agency staff allocated for trading account purposes in each of the last five years:
	
		
			   Estimated staffing allocated LTR MTA  Total UKBA staffing  Percentage allocated to charged LTR processing (rounded) 
			 2007-08 1,500 18,100 8 
			 2006-07 1,300 18,800 7 
			 2005-06 1,100 17,200 6 
			 2004-05 1,000 16,900 6 
			 2003-04 900 14,900 6 
		
	
	The figures above are based upon internal management information and may be subject to change.

Mujahedin-e Khalq

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent meetings she has had with her European counterparts on the subject of the People's Mujaheddin Organisation of Iran in light of the ruling of the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg in Case T-256/07 on 23 October 2008.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The Home Secretary has had no meetings with her European counterparts on the People's Mujaheddin Organisation of Iran since the European Court of First Instance in Luxembourg handed down its ruling in Case T-256/07 on 23 October 2008.

Offensive Weapons

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were convicted of offences involving  (a) firearms and  (b) knives after handing themselves into the police in each of the last 10 years, broken down by (i) offence and (ii) police force area.

Jacqui Smith: The requested information is not available centrally.

Offensive Weapons

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the detection rate for offences involving knives was in each of the last 10 years, broken down by  (a) offence and  (b) police force area.

Jacqui Smith: The requested data are not collected centrally on the dataset for serious offences involving sharp instruments.
	Information available from the Homicide Index relates to offences currently recorded as homicide where a sharp instrument was used and there is a current suspect. Data from 1997-98 up to and including 2006-07 are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Offences currently recorded as homicides( 1)  where a sharp instrument( 2)  was used and there is a current suspect, 1997-98 to 2006-07( 3,4) 
			  Year offence initially recorded as homicide 
			  Police force area  Police force name  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			 North East Region Cleveland 1 1 3 5 3 3 3 3 3 3 
			  Durham 3 2  1 2 3  2 3 5 
			  Northumbria 11 5 9 5 4 8 8 6 7 10 
			 
			 North West Region Cheshire 3 3   3 2 5 3 7 3 
			  Cumbria 2 1 5 3 1 2 1 1   
			  Greater Manchester 15 14 10 13 23 18 16 15 11 10 
			  Lancashire 6 2 1 15 4 10 12 11 1 4 
			  Merseyside 7 11 6 13 3 10 10 13 10 10 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber Region Humberside 2 2 2 2 3 5 8 3 1 7 
			  North Yorkshire 1  11 3 2  
			  South Yorkshire 2 2 4 4 5 7 2 7 6 3 
			  West Yorkshire 12 12 7 8 11 12 6 13 11 10 
			 
			 East Midlands Region Derbyshire 2 1 2 1 4 2 3 2 2 3 
			  Leicestershire 1 1  3 2 4 9 3 3 5 
			  Lincolnshire  1 2  1 2 2   3 
			  Northamptonshire 2 2 1 3 2 5 1  6 6 
			  Nottinghamshire 3 6 5 4 6 3 6 6 7 7 
			 
			 West Midlands Region Staffordshire 4 4 2  1  3 3 2 4 
			  Warwickshire  2 1  1 2 2 3 1 5 
			  West Mercia 3 3 1 3 5 2 5 3  3 
			  West Midlands 3 16 14 7 19 15 22 20 21 14 
			 
			 East of England Region Bedfordshire 3 2 1 2 7 1 1 4 3 3 
			  Cambridgeshire 1 1 4  1 2 5 1 2 2 
			  Essex 1 4 9 2 10 7 5  4 8 
			  Hertfordshire 2 1 5 4 3 4 3 4 3 6 
			  Norfolk  5 2 4 1  3 1 1 3 
			  Suffolk3 2  2 2 3 2 
			 
			 London Region City of London   
			  Metropolitan Police 57 47 63 63 58 56 56 58 54 56 
			 
			 South East Region Hampshire 1 3 5 3 7 8 3 7 4 6 
			  Kent 7 3 7 4 10 6 4 4 7 4 
			  Surrey 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 4 3  
			  Sussex 4 4 5 5 6 8 2 8 4 2 
			  Thames Valley 7 7 8 3 9 12 3 6 7 5 
			 
			 South West Region Avon and Somerset 3 4 5 3 3 4 4 3 2 3 
			  Devon and Cornwall 7 5 1 5 6 2 3 10 5 5 
			  Dorset 1 1 1 3  3 6
			  Gloucestershire 1 1 3  3 3 2 2  2 
			  Wiltshire 2  1  3 2 2 3 1 1 
			 
			 Wales Dyfed Powys  2  1  3   2 1 
			  Gwent  1 1 2 2 2  4 1 2 
			  North Wales 2  2 1 2 3  5 2 1 
			  South Wales 9 9 6 3 10 1 3 4 2 7 
			 
			 British Transport Police
			 England and Wales  192 192 206 202 248 243 233 250 214 234 
			 (1) As at 12 November 2007 figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts, or as further information becomes available. (2) Homicides involving any sharp instrument, including knives. (3) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (4) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009.

Offensive Weapons

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many incidents of violence against the person involving a knife were recorded  (a) in total and  (b) per 1,000 of the population for (i) England, (ii) the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area and (iii) Bath and North East Somerset in each year from 1997 to 2008;
	(2)  how many incidents of violence against the person where a fatality has occurred as a result of a knife wound were recorded  (a) in total and  (b) per 1,000 of the population for (i) England, (ii) the Avon and Somerset Constabulary area and (iii) Bath and North East Somerset in each year from 1997 to 2008.

Alan Campbell: Available data on serious offences involving knives and sharp instruments are available only for England and Avon and Somerset relating to 2007-08, and are given in table A.
	The number of homicides involving sharp instruments recorded from 1997-98 up to and including 2006-07 is shown in table B.
	Data collected centrally for both of these data series cannot be broken down lower than police force area level.
	
		
			  Table A: Number of serious( 1)  offences involving a knife or sharp instrument, recorded by the police, and offences per 100,000 population-.England and Avon and Somerset, 2007-08 
			   Total of selected serious offences( 2)  Offences per 100,000 population 
			 England 20,985 41 
			 Avon and Somerset 360 23 
			 (1) Other offences exist that are not included in this table that may include the use of knife or sharp instrument. 'Offences involving a knife' refers to the use of a knife or sharp instrument. (2)( )Total selected serious offences only included in the: attempted murder, wounding with intent to do GBH, wounding or inflicting GBH i.e. without intent, robbery of business property and robbery of personal property. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table B: Offences currently recorded as homicides( 1)  where a sharp instrument( 2)  was used and there is a current suspect, 1997-98  to 2006-07( 3, 4) 
			   England  Avon and Somerset 
			   Number of offences  Offences per 100,000 population  Number of offences  Offences per 100,000 population 
			 1997-98 191 0.39 3 0.20 
			 1998-99(2) 189 0.38 5 0.34 
			 1999-00 204 0.41 5 0.34 
			 2000-01 206 0.41 3 0.20 
			 2001-02(3) 247 0.49 4 0.26 
			 2002-03 255 0.52 4 0.27 
			 2003-04 239 0.48 4 0.27 
			 2004-05 246 0.49 4 0.27 
			 2005-06 212 0.42 2 0.13 
			 2006-07 237 0.47 3 0.20 
			 (1)( )As at 12 November 2007;figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and by the courts or as further information becomes available. (2) Homicides involving any sharp instrument, including knives. (3) Offences are shown according to the year in which the police initially recorded the offence as homicide. This is not necessarily the year in which the incident took place or the year in which any court decision was made. (4) Data for 2007-08 are scheduled to be published in January 2009.

Offensive Weapons: Retail Trade

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance she issues to businesses which sell knives and blades  (a) over the internet and  (b) through catalogues on compliance with the requirements of (i) section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 and (ii) the Offensive Weapons Act 1996.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 3 November 2008
	In November 2007 the Home Office issued guidance to retailers on compliance with section 141A of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 which made it illegal from 1 October 2007 to sell knives and certain articles with a blade or point to anyone under the age of 18. The ban applies to sales over the internet and through catalogues.

Offensive Weapons: Retail Trade

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will examine the adequacy of controls on the advertising and sale of souvenir knives, blades and axes  (a) over the internet and  (b) through catalogues; and if she will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The laws that control the advertising and sale of knives and blades apply to the internet and catalogue sales as they do to advertising and sale through any other retail outlet. The Government are committed to working with all businesses to ensure that they comply with the law and to encourage tight controls, particularly on issues like age-verification.

Police: Bureaucracy

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of their time police officers spent on average  (a) completing paperwork and  (b) on patrol in each of the last five years.

Vernon Coaker: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Ruffley) on 10 December 2007,  Official Report, column 91W. Information for 2007-08 will be published shortly on the Home Office website, as part of the release of information relating to police performance 2007-08.

Police: CCTV

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to reimburse all or part of the costs to local authorities of installing CCTV technologies used by the police.

Alan Campbell: The Government have no plans to provide further funding for local authorities to install CCTV. Much of the CCTV currently in place in town centres was funded by the Government through the Crime Reduction Programme between 1999 and 2003, which provided 170 million across England and Wales.

Police: Ethnic Groups

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of police officers at the rank of  (a) constable,  (b) sergeant,  (c) inspector,  (d) chief inspector,  (e) superintendent,  (f) chief superintendent and  (g) Association of Chief Police Officer ranks were from an ethnic minority background in each year since 1997, broken down by police force.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2008
	The available data are given in the tables placed in the House Library.
	The requested data are also published as part of the annual Police Service Strength England and Wales Statistical Bulletin. The 2008 bulletin can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and previous years' bulletins are available in the House of Commons Library. The annual Home Secretary's Race Employment Targets report may also be of interest in relation to the question asked:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/documents/race-equality-targets-2006-07

Police: Ethnic Groups

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of police officers recruited into each force in each year since 1997 were from an ethnic minority background.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 21 October 2008
	The available data are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Police officer minority ethnic recruits( 1)  to police forces from 2002-03 to 2007-08( 2)  (FTE)( 3)  and recruits as percentage of total strength 
			   Minority ethnic recruits  ME recruits as percentage of total recruits 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 Avon and Somerset 2 4 2 4 1 1 5 2 2 3 1 1 
			 Bedfordshire 4 5 12 9 0 10 4 3 11 17 0 13 
			 Cambridgeshire 5 6 6 1 0 0 7 6 6 1 0 0 
			 Cheshire 1 6 0 3 2 0 1 4 0 3 2 0 
			 Cleveland 1 2 2 6 0 0 1 1 2 5 0 0 
			 Cumbria 0 4 1 0 1 1 0 4 2 0 2 2 
			 Derbyshire 6 1 1 3 6 6 4 1 2 5 7 5 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2 2 1 1 0 2 1 2 1 0 0 2 
			 Dorset 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 
			 Durham 0 4 1 1 0 0 0 4 1 1 0 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1 0 0 1 2 0 14 0 0 2 4 0 
			 Essex 0 3 7 7 9 10 0 1 3 3 3 4 
			 Gloucestershire 0 3 2 1 1 0 0 3 3 1 1 0 
			 Greater Manchester 2 41 32 11 13 22 2 4 14 4 4 5 
			 Gwent 1 2 0 2 4 0 2 3 0 3 6 0 
			 Hampshire 6 7 5 13 9 4 2 2 2 5 4 2 
			 Hertfordshire 7 14 5 8 6 11 3 5 3 5 3 10 
			 Humberside 1 4 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 1 0 
			 Kent 2 4 8 6 8 23 1 1 4 3 3 15 
			 Lancashire 14 15 6 5 11 10 6 5 4 3 7 5 
			 Leicestershire 6 18 6 9 17 13 5 7 5 9 20 13 
			 Lincolnshire 1 1 2 2 0 0 2 2 3 4 0 0 
			 London, City of 4 7 8 3 1 0 9 13 21 7 3 0 
			 Merseyside 3 7 10 7 19 5 3 4 3 4 6 3 
			 Metropolitan Police 305 500 252 166 215 193 13 17 13 16 17 20 
			 Norfolk 2 0 0 0 1 1 3 0 0 0 2 2 
			 Northamptonshire 2 7 6 1 3 5 4 7 6 1 4 6 
			 Northumbria 6 1 2 5 2 1 4 1 1 4 2 1 
			 North Wales 0 0 1 0 1 2 0 0 1 0 2 5 
			 North Yorkshire 2 2 0 0 1 0 2 2 0 0 1  
			 Nottinghamshire 6 7 5 2 1 3 7 5 4 4 2 6 
			 South Wales 4 3 3 5 7 2 2 2 3 4 6 4 
			 South Yorkshire 3 9 5 5 7 4 3 3 2 3 4 4 
			 Staffordshire 0 2 3 3 1 4 0 2 3 4 1 10 
			 Suffolk 1 3 0 3 2 1 1 3 0 7 3 7 
			 Surrey 8 3 1 7 19 12 9 3 1 6 12 10 
			 Sussex 0 4 6 7 2 2 0 1 3 3 1 1 
			 Thames Valley 9 20 14 15 12 17 3 4 4 4 5 7 
			 Warwickshire 4 1 5 10 3 0 7 2 8 14 5  
			 West Mercia 1 2 2 1 2 1 0 2 2 1 2 1 
			 West Midlands 48 49 43 54 35 45 10 12 9 12 8 9 
			 West Yorkshire 12 16 35 8 15 18 4 5 6 5 6 5 
			 Wiltshire 2 5 2 1 0 1 3 4 3 2 0 2 
			 Total 485 795 502 396 441 430 6.5 7.8 6.2 6.1 6.8 7.8 
			 (1) Recruits included those officers joining as police standard direct recruits and those who were previously special constables. This excludes police officers on transfers from other forces and those rejoining. (2) Financial year runs 1 April to 31 March inclusive. Data are not available prior to 2002-03. (3) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items.

Police: Internet

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have posted ward and sub-ward level crime maps of their areas on the internet.

Vernon Coaker: Five forces currently produce monthly crime maps for the public; West Midlands, West Yorkshire, Lancashire, Hampshire and the Metropolitan Police Service.
	West Midlands and the Metropolitan Police Service are publishing interactive sub-ward neighbourhood level crime maps.
	Lancashire constabulary are producing maps at ward level, Hampshire at district level and West Yorkshire at beat level.
	ACPO are working to ensure that crime mapping is available from all forces in England and Wales to at least ward level by December 2008 as part of the Policing Pledge that was announced in the Policing Green Paper From the neighbourhood to the national in July 2008.

Police: Manpower

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the ratio of police to members of the public was in each constituency in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many police officers per 100,000 residents there were in each police authority in England in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The available data are given in the following table. Police Personnel data are not collected by parliamentary constituency.
	
		
			  Police Officers( 1)  (FTE)( 2)  per 100,000 of the population for by police force, as at 31 March 1997 to 31 March 2008 
			  Police force  1997(3)  1998  1999  2000  2001(4)  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 204 203 203 197 197 205 213 229 225 226 224 218 
			 Bedfordshire 200 197 189 185 184 189 198 210 215 213 207 204 
			 Cambridgeshire 188 184 179 172 179 187 196 197 194 196 187 183 
			 Cheshire 209 208 211 204 204 209 217 224 223 223 225 218 
			 Cleveland 261 266 255 252 253 263 294 314 305 308 315 303 
			 Cumbria 233 237 229 220 213 224 237 254 257 256 255 251 
			 Derbyshire 187 184 182 183 187 189 210 216 213 212 209 212 
			 Devon and Cornwall 186 192 186 182 187 192 204 208 212 219 216 214 
			 Dorset 189 192 186 189 196 198 205 209 211 216 217 216 
			 Durham 240 249 258 256 263 266 281 288 293 288 285 272 
			 Essex 197 193 190 183 178 181 186 192 198 203 203 203 
			 Gloucestershire 205 198 197 200 209 209 219 229 230 228 229 234 
			 Greater Manchester 268 270 265 264 268 279 298 323 321 318 314 315 
			 Hampshire 198 199 197 193 193 195 208 211 212 211 215 214 
			 Hertfordshire 205 202 198 201 184 174 191 204 206 208 210 204 
			 Humberside 230 228 223 219 217 234 244 256 255 251 251 248 
			 Kent 210 209 204 203 209 210 221 228 227 227 229 227 
			 Lancashire 228 229 228 223 228 231 239 252 251 253 252 254 
			 Leicestershire 211 214 215 215 218 224 232 246 246 241 237 233 
			 Lincolnshire 196 193 184 179 191 189 191 189 185 183 183 175 
			 London, City of(5) * * * * * * * * * * * * 
			 Merseyside 296 297 298 290 291 294 302 303 318 315 325 331 
			 Metropolitan Police5 367 356 352 341 351 366 404 420 433 428 426 430 
			 Norfolk 185 184 176 175 178 183 189 190 192 193 191 190 
			 Northamptonshire 196 193 186 181 186 194 194 198 201 207 200 196 
			 Northumbria 256 263 269 266 272 278 290 294 294 291 283 285 
			 North Yorkshire 183 186 181 173 175 188 193 203 206 216 217 202 
			 Nottinghamshire 225 225 216 214 214 226 239 245 245 243 235 224 
			 South Yorkshire 242 244 243 243 245 246 252 261 260 259 256 248 
			 Staffordshire 209 217 211 204 201 201 212 218 220 219 219 214 
			 Suffolk 180 179 179 171 168 177 188 196 195 191 196 188 
			 Surrey 209 207 212 227 192 184 182 183 184 184 183 179 
			 Sussex 211 203 191 188 188 190 203 206 205 207 205 201 
			 Thames Valley 180 183 180 178 175 177 186 195 198 202 199 194 
			 Warwickshire 186 185 180 178 182 190 198 197 195 198 199 198 
			 West Mercia 183 180 180 166 171 176 196 202 203 202 205 210 
			 West Midlands 270 271 278 274 283 293 307 311 316 318 318 324 
			 West Yorkshire 247 244 236 228 228 230 242 254 271 270 270 269 
			 Wiltshire 195 195 192 185 184 189 190 198 198 196 192 190 
			 Dyfed-Powys 212 210 215 217 219 234 237 236 237 237 236 237 
			 Gwent 275 222 224 227 229 239 244 248 259 264 268 266 
			 North Wales 208 213 212 213 220 228 234 243 250 242 238 234 
			 South Wales 223 242 241 236 250 259 273 275 273 271 273 264 
			 England and Wales 241 240 237 233 234 240 254 264 267 267 266 264 
			 (1) This table is based on full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. (2) Figures up to 31 March 2002 exclude staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. The figures for 31 March 2003 onwards figures include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (3) Boundary changes on 1 April 1996 transferred resources for the policing of the Rhymney Valley from South Wales Police to Gwent Police. (4) Boundary changes on 1 April 2000 transferred some resources from the Metropolitan Police to Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey police forces. (5) Officers per 100,000 population for City of London and Metropolitan Police are combined.

Police: Pensions

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the average payment per person to members of the police pension scheme was in 2008;
	(2)  how many individuals belong to the  (a) old and  (b) new police pension scheme.

Vernon Coaker: The estimated average annual police pension paid to both former officers and dependants was 13,400 in 2007-08 (rounded to the nearest 100). This estimate is based on total spending on police pensions in England and Wales in 2007-08 and an estimate of the number of police pensioners at 1 April 2008 from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) Police Estimates Statistics 2008-09.
	Information on the number of members of the police pension schemes is not held centrally. However, virtually all serving officers are members of one of the schemes. Figures in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin series Police Service Strength, England and Wales (available at
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/policeorg1.html
	and in the Library) suggest that there were 12,266 officers eligible for membership of the new police pension scheme 2006 and 129,593 eligible for membership of the police pension scheme 1987 at 31 March 2008.

Repatriation: Finance

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the average cost of  (a) assisting an individual to return voluntarily to their country of origin and  (b) deporting an individual to the same country.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) Assisted voluntary returns have been identified as a cost effective method of returning people to their country of origin by the National Audit Office report on 'Returning failed asylum applicants'. (Report by the Comptroller and Auditor General HC 76, Session 2005-2006, 19 July 2005) which noted that the cost of a voluntary return was approximately 10 per cent. of the cost of an enforced removal.
	The average cost of a return under the Assisted Voluntary Return for Irregular Migrants (AVRIM) programme is approximately 900.
	 (b) The National Audit Office report put the cost of an enforced removal at 11,000.

Roads: Accidents

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many road accident frauds were reported to the police in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 3 November 2008
	The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Such frauds cannot be separately identified in the Home Office recorded crime statistics.

Telecommunications: Databases

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether local authorities will be given access to the database of communications that will be introduced via the forthcoming Communications Data Bill.

Vernon Coaker: I have announced that, prior to any legislation, we will be launching a consultation on options for maintaining the ability of public authorities to have appropriate access to communications data, in the face of the challenge of changing technology.

Travelling People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on county police forces moving transit Travellers to suitable sites in neighbouring local authorities but within the same police authority.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 28 October 2008
	Government policy on powers to deal with unauthorised encampments by transit Travellers is set out in the Guide to effective use of enforcement powers issued in 2006 jointly by the Home Office and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
	The Government agree with the conclusions of the Final Report of the Independent Task Group on Site Provision and Enforcement for Gypsies and Travellers published in December 2007 that existing enforcement powers are sufficient, and that the key to effective enforcement is adequate site provision. A change to powers to enable police to move transit Travellers to suitable sites in neighbouring local authorities risks de-incentivising adequate site provision.

BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE AND REGULATORY REFORM

Banks: Regulation

Dai Davies: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform if he will review the recommendations of the Better Regulation Executive on banking in light of the events in the banking sector in mid September.

Ian Pearson: The Better Regulation Executive has made no specific recommendations on banking. It will continue in its role supporting and challenging Government Departments and regulators, including HM Treasury and the Financial Services Authority, to deliver regulation which is effective, risk-based and proportionate.

Financial Institutions: Public Appointments

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform whether the directors appointed by the Government to the boards of  (a) Northern Rock and  (b) Bradford and Bingley are subject to the duties on directors set out in sections 170 to 177 of the Companies Act 2006.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 27 October 2008
	 The directors are subject to the usual provisions of the Companies Act on general duties of directors.

Financial Services: EC Action

Ann Winterton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2008,  Official Report, column 357W, on financial services: EU action, which European Union legislative instruments implement mark to market in the full range of its applications, including trading in securities and other financial instruments.

Ian Pearson: Under Regulation (EC) No 1606/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the application of international accounting standards, companies governed by the law of an EU member state, whose securities are admitted to trading on a regulated market in any EU member state, must prepare their consolidated accounts in conformity with international accounting standards (IAS) adopted by the European Commission under the Regulation. Under UK law implementing an option in the Regulation such companies may prepare their individual accounts, and other companies may prepare either individual or consolidated accounts in accordance with EC adopted IAS.
	Under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1725/2003, IAS 39 (financial instruments: recognition and measurement) and IFRS 7 (financial instruments: disclosure) were adopted. That Commission Regulation was amended on 15 October 2008 by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1004/2008.
	International Accounting Standard 39, International Financial Reporting Standard 7 and Reclassification of Financial Assets (Amendments to IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement and IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures) are all published by the International Accounting Standards Board and the EU.
	UK companies which do not prepare their accounts in accordance with EC adopted IAS must do so in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (previously the Companies Act 1985) and regulations made under it. Those provisions implement the following EC Directives which contain valuation rules, including valuation on a mark to market basis:
	Council Directive 78/660/EEC on the annual accounts of certain types of company
	Council Directive 83/349/EEC on consolidated accounts
	Council Directive 86/63 5/EEC on the annual and consolidated accounts of banks and other financial institutions
	Council Directive 91/674/EEC on the annual and consolidated accounts of insurance undertakings.
	UK companies which do not prepare their accounts in accordance with EC adopted IAS must do so in accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act 2006 (previously the Companies Act 1985) and Regulations made under it. Such companies will follow UK accounting standards. The UK accounting standards covering Financial Instruments, i.e. FRS 26 (IAS 39) Financial Instruments: recognition and measurement and FRS 29 Financial Instruments: disclosures, are fully converged with their BFRS equivalents, and so there should be little difference in the accounting treatment of these items in company financial statements for UK companies using UK GAAP or IFRS.

Petrol: Prices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what steps are being taken to seek to ensure the stability of the price of petrol.

Mike O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	Competitive markets are the best means to ensure efficient petrol retailing. The Office of Fair Trading monitors the UK petrol market to ensure competitive pricing. Consumers are best placed to support suppliers who provide lower prices. Ministers have urged consumers to use their power.
	The Government charge fuel duty at a fixed rate per litre. Duty currently accounts for approximately half of the retail petrol price (including duty and VAT) and, consequently, petrol prices are considerably less volatile (in percentage change terms) than the underlying prices of wholesale petrol and crude oil.
	The Government recognise the recent instability in the oil price and are committed to continuing the dialogue between producers and consumers to enable a better functioning global oil market. Through the work of the Prime Minister's Global Energy Initiative, the London Energy Meeting in December 2008 will bring Energy Ministers together from across the world to discuss these issues.

Postage Stamps: Design

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what guidance he provides to the Royal Mail on stamp design; and if he will make a statement.

Patrick McFadden: Decisions relating to Royal Mail's operational matters, which include decisions on stamp designs, are the direct responsibility of the company.
	The company has a well-established process for choosing its stamp designs. Its own researchers examine all major anniversaries over a five-year period and give careful consideration to any suggestions from organisations or members of the public. Royal Mail receives around 2,000 suggestions for stamp designs every year.
	The subjects selected for commemoration on stamps are carefully researched and briefs formulated for the company's in-house design team. These specialist staff commission designers, illustrators, photographers and other image makers to respond to the brief, given the unique parameters of a postage stamp. A selection of designs is then reviewed by the company's Stamp Advisory Committee to ensure balance and diversity before the finalised designs are put before Her Majesty the Queen for approval.

Retail Trade

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform what business support his Department makes available to the retail sector; what assessment he has made of future trends in demand for such services; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: Retail enterprises, both at start-up and when established, can access a wide range of BERR and other publicly funded business support products via Business Link. Business Link provides impartial information that helps customers diagnose their needs and identify solutions and support providers in the public and private sector. The service can be accessed through the website:
	www.businesslink.gov.uk
	by telephone on 0845 6009006 or through the network of advisers based in England.
	The Government announced on 22 October a package of further support to help small and medium sized businesses to bear the impact of the current global economic challenges, including free Health Checks for businesses through Business Link, and advice on financial management, cash flow and securing finance. Details of the full range of measures and how to access them can be obtained from Business Link.
	The Department continually assesses the demand for its business support services and through the Business Support Simplification Programme aims to streamline publicly funded business support to make schemes targeted, focussed and measurable, so increasing take-up, impact and value for money.

JUSTICE

Antisocial Behaviour: Fixed Penalties

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2008,  Official Report, column 884W, on public order offences: young people, 
	(1)  if he will place in the Library a copy of the evaluation of the pilot project for the use of penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) for 10 to 15 year olds; and for what reasons some police forces continue to issue PNDs to juveniles;
	(2)  how many penalty notices for disorder have been issued to 10 to 15 year olds in each year since 2005; if he will make a statement on the issuing of penalty notices for disorder to 10 to 15 year olds; what recent assessment he has made of the outcome of the pilot project in the seven pilot police force areas; and when the evaluation of the pilot projects will be published.

David Hanson: The evaluation report on penalty notices for disorder (PNDs) for 10 to 15-year-olds was published today and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House. The report will include data covering the number of PNDs issued during the pilots. Some of the police forces involved in the pilots have continued to use PNDs for 10 to 15-year-olds because, as the evaluation shows, they are an effective tool for dealing with certain offences. We continue to discuss the learning from the evaluation report with key stakeholders.

Community Legal Advice

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what cost was incurred in changing the name of Community Legal Service Direct to Community Legal Advice; how much of this cost was spent on advertising the change of name; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) changed the name of Community Legal Service Direct to Community Legal Advice (CLA) in November 2007. The LSC spent 8,836 on producing the Community Legal Advice logo and the guidelines for using it. The LSC did not use paid-for advertising to promote the name change.

Community Legal Advice

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reason Community Legal Service Direct changed its name to Community Legal Advice; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: On 12 November 2007, Community Legal Service Direct changed its name to Community Legal Advice for two main reasons.
	1. Client research demonstrated that clients wanted a clearer name that better described the service offered. Various names were tested with clients. The most popular was 'Community Legal Advice'.
	2. The LSC wanted to develop a clear brand, based on a single name, for both the existing telephone and website services, and the new Community Legal Advice centres and networks being set up across the country. The single name makes it clear to clients that all the advice services come from the same reliable source, whether they are delivered by telephone, website, leaflet or face to face. It also gives the LSC greater flexibility for the future to add new ways of delivering Community Legal Advice services without having to develop any new branding.

Community Legal Advice: Marketing

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) total cost and  (b) cost per unit of (i) production and (ii) distribution of the Legal Services Commission's Community Legal Advice leaflet stands was; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: The cost of producing the Community Legal Advice desk-top leaflet stands was 16,832 at a unit cost of 8.42 per stand.
	The Community Legal Advice team holds a contract with a distributor to distribute marketing materials, leaflets and leaflet stands. It is not possible to provide the total cost or cost per unit of distribution for the leaflet, as they may, for example, have been distributed as part of other orders. In addition, some LSC regional offices may have sent out the stands as part of their business mail.

Community Legal Advice: Marketing

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many requests there have been from hon. Members for the Legal Services Commission's Community Legal Advice leaflet stands to be distributed to their constituency offices; to how many hon. Members the leaflet stand has been sent; what cost was incurred in distributing the stand to hon. Members' constituency offices; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Between November 2007 and October 2008, there were 47 requests from MPs' constituency offices for Community Legal Advice stands across England and Wales. 151 stands were sent to MPs' offices. A letter of introduction and explanation was included with the stands sent to MPs. The stands hold approximately 150 leaflets which cover a wide range of topics to help people understand more about the law and how to access their rights.
	It is not possible to provide the total cost or cost per unit of distribution for the leaflet, as they may, for example, have been distributed as part of other orders. In addition, some LSC regional offices may have sent out the stands as part of their business mail.

Community Legal Advice: Marketing

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many of the Legal Services Commission's Community Legal Advice leaflet stands have been distributed since Community Legal Service Direct changed its name to Community Legal Advice; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: Around 730 Community Legal Advice leaflet stands have been distributed by the LSC since November 2007.

Coroners

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the target times set for coroners' courts in England to complete inquests are; and if he will make a statement.

Bridget Prentice: There are no set target times for coroners in England to complete inquests. It is the responsibility of individual coroners, who are independent judicial office holders appointed by local authorities, to complete inquests as expeditiously as circumstances allow. In 2007 the average time taken to complete an inquest in England was 25 weeks.

Courts: Offensive Weapons

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance is issued to courts on the action to be taken should a knife be discovered on a person attending a court hearing.

Jack Straw: The powers of court security officers governing the seizure and retention of items, and of exclusion from courts, are derived from sections 53 to 55 of the Courts Act 2003.
	All knives, of whatever length, are among those items which Her Majesty's Courts Service class as prohibited items and are not permitted inside any venue where court business takes place. All bladed items must be surrendered to a court security officer and if not willingly surrendered, they may be seized by those officers. If the item is not surrendered or seized, the bearer will be excluded from entry into the court or removed.
	The police are informed of all offensive weapons surrendered or seized and court security officers follow the advice given by them. As possession of a folding pen-knife with a blade of three inches or less is not currently a criminal offence, the court security officers would not normally advise the police of these items being retained. Evidence from one Crown Court is that about 50 per cent. of the pen knives which were seized but later returned because they were within the legal definition belonged to lawyers attending the court.
	If a court security officer reasonably believes that a bladed item is evidence of, or in relation to, an offence, such as an illegally carried knife, then they contact the police as soon as possible after the item has been surrendered or seized. The court security officers must provide the police with information about the item, the person carrying it and, if appropriate, any difficulties they had in obtaining the item.
	The court security officer will then follow the advice of the police who may attend, dispose of the item, and take any other appropriate investigative action.
	If a person requests the return of an item when he/she leaves the court building, but the court security officer has reasonable grounds to believe that the item may be evidence of, or in relation to an offence, then the person is told that under section 55(2)(b), the officer has the power to retain it for up to 24 hours to seek advice from the police.
	Items that are lawful to possess, such as folding penknives with the permitted length of blade, are returned when the owner asks for them.
	The Courts Act itself gives no power to retain any items beyond either the 24-hour permitted period or the later point when the owner returns to collect it, whether legally or illegally carried. If the police do not collect the item within the permitted period or at any rate before the owner returns to collect it, then the article must be returned.
	The policy is being actively reviewed and Her Majesty's Court Service is launching a programme to discourage all court users from bringing any kind of bladed item to court. This includes a vigorous information campaign to all major stakeholders, including volunteer groups, and clear public information displayed in courts. We are also looking at formalising the existing process by which any bladed items that are currently lawful are returned to owners when they leave the court building but in sealed packages, which must be signed for or by post. An incremental rollout of this process to gauge the impact of this covering six courts in England was launched on 1 November and, if this is a success, will be implemented nationally shortly thereafter.

Departmental ICT

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the value has been of his Department's IT contracts in the last 12 months; with whom these contracts have been awarded; and what the value was of each contract.

Maria Eagle: The following IT contracts have been awarded in the last 12 months:
	Secure e-mail, awarded to Cable and Wireless in August 2008, for 21 months, at a value of 2 million per annum.
	Portal messaging and Support, awarded to Atos Origin in March 2008, for two years, at a value of 2 million per annum.
	Support for Court administrative systems, awarded to VP Treen Ltd. in October 2008, for three years, at a value of 225,000 per annum.

Enforcement: Per Capita Costs

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms are in place to recover the costs of  (a) enforcement and  (b) other activities borne by his Department following the implementation of new legislation sponsored by other departments.

Michael Wills: It is Government policy that all Departments and agencies exercising statutory powers and making rules with a general effect on others should produce an impact assessment (IA). The basic aim of IAs is that those proposing new policies or arrangements should take account of all resulting costs, including those falling on others inside or outside central Government.
	The Ministry of Justice has its own procedures to control these downstream costs from other Government Departments' legislative programmes in recent years. The Ministry of Justice will not authorise clearance at Cabinet Committee level, without a reassurance that agreement on resulting court (tribunals and judiciary) and legal aid costs has been achieved, beforehand.

House of Lords: Reform

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his timetable is for further reform of the House of Lords.

Michael Wills: The White Paper on Lords reform was published on 25 July 2008 following cross-party talks. Building on the proposals in the White Paper, the Government intend to develop detailed proposals to be put to the electorate as a manifesto commitment at the next general election. Legislation would then be possible in the next Parliament.

Illegal Broadcasting

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what discussions he and his officials have had with the Sentencing Guidelines Council on the introduction of guidelines for the offence of illegal broadcasting; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Eagle: No discussions have been had with the Sentencing Guidelines Council on the introduction of guidelines for the offence of illegal broadcasting.

Illegal Broadcasting

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many people have received the maximum sentence on conviction for illegal broadcasting in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to reduce repeat offending by those convicted of offences relating to illegal radio broadcasts.

Maria Eagle: The offence referred to is a provision in section 8 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006unauthorised use etc. of wireless telegraphy station or apparatus.
	According to the court proceedings database held by the Department, no persons have been convicted for unauthorised use etc of wireless telegraphy station or apparatus as a principal offence.

Information Commissioner: Finance

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the Information Commissioner's budget will be in each of the next three financial years.

Michael Wills: The Office of the Information Commissioner (ICO) is funded from two sources. The notification fees paid by data controllers fund the ICO's data protection work. The Commissioner retains these fees with agreement from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (Jack Straw) and the Treasury.
	It is not possible to give figures for fee income for the next three financial years as this is dependent on the number of data controllers who renew their notification or register for the first time. In the financial year 2007-08 the ICO received fee income of 10,817,621.
	The Ministry of Justice wants to ensure that the Information Commissioner has the resources necessary to be able to carry out his duties under the Data Protection Act effectively. This summer, we consulted on changes to the fee structure to fund recent and proposed changes to the Information Commissioner's powers and responsibilities. We will announce the outcome of this consultation shortly.
	Funding for the Information Commissioner's freedom of information responsibilities is by grant in aid from my Department. The indicative baseline for the Information Commissioner is 5 million for the current spending review period. However, we keep the position under review and have provided the Information Commissioner with an additional 500,000 for the current financial year.

Land Registry

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 19 October 2006,  Official Report, columns 1391-92W, on the Land Registry, how many commonhold residential developments there are in  (a) England and  (b) Wales.

Michael Wills: Land Registry's records show, as at 30 October 2008, there are:
	 (a) 12 commonhold residential developments comprising 97 units, of which 78 units have been registered in the name of individual unit holders in England; and
	 (b) One commonhold residential development, comprising 24 units, of which seven units have been registered in the name of individual unit holders in Wales.
	In researching this reply it has been identified that part of 19 October 2006 reply,  Official Report, columns 1391-92W, was incorrect. In respect of Wales at that time the number of units was 24 and the number registered in the name of an individual was four.

Offenders: Armed Forces

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the number of former armed service personnel  (a) in custody and  (b) on parole.

David Hanson: The information requested is not available. However, data from nationally representative surveys of some 2,000 sentenced prisoners near release conducted in 2001, 2003 and 2004 show the proportion of prisoners who had previously served in the armed forces as 6 per cent., 4 per cent. and 5 per cent. respectively.

Prisoner Escapes

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have escaped while under escort from prison in the last 24 months; and how many of those escapes were from  (a) private taxis and  (b) custom built cellular vehicles.

David Hanson: No prisoners being transported by taxi in 2006-07 and 2007-08 have escaped. Taxis are rarely used for transporting prisoners to and from court or for inter-prison transfers. On occasions they may be used for emergency transport, including hospital admission where an ambulance is not appropriate.
	A risk assessment is conducted to ensure that the use of a taxi is appropriate.
	Data contained in the following table show the number of prisoners who (a) have escaped from escort between April 2006 and March 2008 broken down by (b) private taxi hire (c) custom built cellular vehicles.
	
		
			  Financial year  HM Prison Service escort  Contractor escort  Private taxi hire  Contractor secure cellular vehicle 
			 2006-07 6 19 0 3 
			 2007-08 2 16 0 1 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.
	Further information can be found at the Prison Service website:
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/assets/documents/10003541prison_escapes_dec_07.pdf
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/assets/documents/10003542prison_escort_escapes_dec_07.pdf
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/assets/documents/10003543contracted_escort_escapes_dec_07.pdf

Reoffenders

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many and what proportion of prisoners were reconvicted and sentenced to another custodial term within three months of leaving prison in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: We do not have figures on reoffending occurring within three months of leaving prison. On an annual basis we publish rates which measure reoffending over a 12 month period. The following table shows the number and proportion of offenders released from custody who committed a reoffence (where the offender was subsequently convicted of this offence at court) and the number and proportion of those who reoffended and given a custodial sentence for this reoffence within a 12 month period.
	
		
			Number of releases from prison  Number of offenders reoffending  Percentage of offenders reoffending  Number of reoffenders who received a prison sentence  Percentage of reoffenders who received a prison sentence 
			 Ql 2002 15,578 8,574 55.0 3,841 24.7 
			 Ql 2003 14,358 7,738 53.9 3,614 25.1 
			 Ql 2004 15,761 8,185 51.9 3,764 23.9 
			 Ql 2005 14,595 7,165 49.1 3,405 23.3 
			 Ql 2006 14,380 6,686 46.5 3,113 21.6 
		
	
	The latest reoffending statistics, 'Reoffending of adults: results from the 2006 cohort', including additional information on frequency and severity of reoffending, were published on 4 September 2008 and can be obtained from the Ministry of Justice website
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm.
	It showed that between the 2000 and 2006 cohorts, frequency of reoffending fell by 22.9 per cent. severity of reoffending fell by 11.1 per cent. and the proportion of offenders reoffending fell by 10.7 per cent.

Secure Training Centres: Restraint Techniques

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 29 October 2008,  Official Report, column 33WS, on juvenile secure settings (restraint), what consideration he gave to immediate publication of the report upon receipt.

David Hanson: Consideration was given to immediate publication of the report before it was received from the co-chairs. It was decided that the report should be published simultaneously with the Government response in order to give people the opportunity to consider the two documents at the same time.

Tenants Rights

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will issue guidelines to the courts to ensure that where a landlord with a buy-to-let mortgage falls into arrears and the lender applies to the courts, the rights and housing needs of any tenant are taken into consideration.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are fully committed to supporting and maintaining a strong and independent judiciary and, in accordance with that, constitutionally has no powers to issue guidance to them. The Civil Procedure Rules already require that lenders give notice of a claim to legal tenants, providing them with an opportunity to make representations to the court.

Voting Behaviour

Bob Neill: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice who the respondents were to his Department's consultation on weekend voting.

Michael Wills: There were 940 responses to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation, from a broad cross section of those with an interest in electoral matters. Respondents included members of the public, local councils and councillors, faith groups, political groups, those involved in running elections and their representative bodies, and civil society groups. A full list of respondents will be included in the response to the consultation which will be published as soon as practicable.

Young Offender Institutions: Education

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours per week were spent on education or training schemes in each young offender institution in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The average number of hours spent on education or training activities per prisoner per week for each young offender institution (YOI) during the period April to September 2008 (latest figures available(1)) is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Prison  Average number of hours spent on education or training activities per prisoner per week 
			 Ashfield 15.4 
			 Aylesbury 6.1 
			 Brinsford 9.6 
			 Castington 10 
			 Cookham Wood 14.1 
			 Deerbolt 7.9 
			 Feltham 7.5 
			 Glen Parva 5.3 
			 Hindley 12.2 
			 Huntercombe 12.2 
			 Lancaster Farms 9.7 
			 Northallerton 9.8 
			 Portland 5.9 
			 Reading 4.9 
			 Rochester 3.6 
			 Stoke Heath 6.8 
			 Swinfen Hall 8.2 
			 Thorn Cross 11.5 
			 Warren Hill 17 
			 Werrington 19.8 
			 Wetherby 12.2 
			 (1) Data are provisional and subject to ongoing validation.

Young Offender Institutions: Sports

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many hours per week were spent on sport or other physical activity in each young offender institution in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The average weekly physical education and recreational sports activity per prisoner for young offender institutions (YOIs) during the period April to September 2008 (latest figures available(1)) is shown in the following table. These figures do not include any other time that prisoners may take less structured exercise.
	
		
			  Prison  Average number of hours spent on sport or other physical activity per prisoner per week 
			 Ashfield 8.2 
			 Aylesbury 3.5 
			 Brinsford 2.5 
			 Castington 2.6 
			 Cookham Wood 7.7 
			 Deerbolt 4.7 
			 Feltham 3.1 
			 Glen Parva 2.8 
			 Hindley 4.2 
			 Huntercombe 4.5 
			 Lancaster Farms 2.2 
			 Northallerton 3.1 
			 Portland 2 
			 Reading 3.7 
			 Rochester 3 
			 Stoke Heath 3.9 
			 Swinfen Hall 3.1 
			 Thorn Cross 7.3 
			 Warren Hill 2.6 
			 Wellington 4.1 
			 Wetherby 4.4 
			 (1) Data are provisional and subject to ongoing validation.